


Make Or Break?

by Levi_Rivaille933012



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: DracoxHermione, F/M, Hinny, Ronsy - Freeform, draco/hermione - Freeform, dramione - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-11-17 11:07:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 31,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11274198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Levi_Rivaille933012/pseuds/Levi_Rivaille933012
Summary: HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_________________________________________All previous 7th year students are required to come back to Hogwarts to attend their last year and make up for the one they lost recently. You MUST come otherwise your wand will be snapped in half and you will be obliviated so that you do not remember any magic.Yours sincerely,Minerva McGonagallAll old students come back but they don't realize that this year there is going to be a new law. One that if broken or disregarded could cost valuable things. The sorting hat and the ministry have decided to pass a Marriage Law to make up for all the recent lives lost in the war.The students must live with, marry, and have a child by the end of their second year together. The female must be pregnant by the end of their first and if anyone disagrees with the Law they will be erased from history. They will be sent to the muggle world with no magic to live a lonely life on the streets.Couples are split up and new couples form but what happens when two unlikely enemies no one ever imagined would be together, get paired up?





	1. Chapter 1: Owls

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ClarySade](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClarySade/gifts).



There was a loud tapping sound and I rolled over groaning. "Leave me alone mom. Just for another five minutes."

The tapping wouldn't stop though so I covered my head with a pillow in hopes that it would silence the annoying sound. I could still hear it though. "Mom please." I whined. Then I shot up.

That's right, my parent's aren't here. I'm at the burrow. My parent's are trying to figure the war out. If they accept it, I have my parent's and their memories back. If they don't, well... they won't ever remember me.

That thought scared me a bit. 

Then I remembered the tapping. I got out of bed and threw the window open. A large Eagle Owl fluttered in and perched on my desk. I giggled as I grabbed some treats out of the drawer and fed it to him as I untied the letter on his leg.

I flipped it over and saw the Hogwarts seal on the back. My eyes widened as I read who it was addressed to.

"Harry! Ron!" 

A few seconds later both boys stumbled into my room. The owl was long gone by now which just left me by an open window, staring at the boys, while holding an odd looking letter. It would be quite an image I imagine.

I chuckled when I saw that both boys were still in their pajamas with very messy bed hair. 

"What is it Hermione?" Ron asked.

I ushered them both over and showed them the letter. "It's from Hogwarts." I whispered.

"From who?" they both asked.

"McGonagall." 

 

  HOGWARTS SCHOOL _of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY

_________________________________________

All previous seventh years at Hogwarts are required to come back for another year. You aren't allowed the use of magic since it has not been fully taught yet. If you choose not to come keep in mind that I, or  any other Professors will find you and bring you back to school ourselves. The Ministry won't be so lenient. Should a Ministry Official be the one to find you, you can be assured that you will either go to Azkaban or be obliviated and sent to the Muggle world without any knowledge of magic. 

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

 

I looked at Ron and Harry and saw them staring wide-eyed at the note as well. I was extremely excited  to be going back to Hogwarts. It was a second home to me.

Then I felt another piece of parchment behind the first. I pulled it out and read over the top while Ron and Harry were talking about school.

 

 Dear Ms. Granger, 

This is a letter for your eyes, and your eyes only. It is enchanted so that neither Harry nor Ron, or anyone else who tries to read it for that matter, can read it but you. If you speak a word of this to anyone I can be in a lot of trouble so please keep this to yourself.

 

I looked up at the boys and saw them arguing still. "Ron you love it and you know it." Harry said.

"Yeah but I don't want to spend another bloody year of learning there."

I chuckled and looked back at the parchment so I could see what the secret letter said.

 

Things will not be the same this year at Hogwarts and it isn't just because we lost both Dumbledore and Snape. There are going to be a few new changes. I could get in lots of trouble for saying this but seeing as you are one of my two favorite students, I decided to make an exception.

There is to be a new Law passed at Hogwarts. Many will not like this law and you might not either. It is issued by the Minister so I have no power over any of it. If I had, I would just allow you all to do as you please with whomever you wished. I can't say much more but I do hope that you like whoever you end up with.

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

 

I stared at the parchment wondering what could be so important that she decided to tell me even though it could potentially hurt her.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked.

"I'm fine." I smiled. It wasn't completely faked either. I mean I did just find out I was one of her favorite students but I couldn't help but wonder who the other might be.

 

(Draco's POV)

 

I had woken up early that morning due to some nightmares of the war. It seemed that no matter what I did, I couldn't forget those horrid events. Everything that everyone went through. It hurt. And then to see the way that _he_ had ruined my family by harming me, cursing my father, nearly killing my mother and I. All for his own benefit too.

I shook the thoughts away and continued reading a book that I had found. I felt really bad for what I did to Hermione all those years and wanted to find out why she thought Muggles were so great. So I did some research and found a library. 

Muggles did have some of the things we did. Well actually they had most of it but it didn't consist of magic. Anyways I went to the Library and looked for a book called Romeo and Juliet. I had heard Hermione talking about how it was one of her favorites when she was in school. So I decided to check it out. Then I found it on the For Sale shelf by the door and returned the Library's version and bought it for myself.

I was rereading it. It honestly was a great book. I just loved everything about it.

"Draco!" my mother yelled. I closed the book and opened the door. I shivered because it was really cold within the house. My room was really hot which I found sort of odd. I walked downstairs and sat next to my mom at the table.

"Thank you for the breakfast, Honey." I said as the elf appeared with a platter in her hand. She placed it in front of me and bowed before disappearing. My mom was smiling and so was I. 

I always hated the way that my father treated Dobby but I was too afraid to say anything. After Harry had freed him my father had gotten a new elf. Hermione was desperately looking for people to sign up for S.P.E.W. which was a way of saying she hated that we made elves work for us.

I had signed up and Hermione had thought it was a joke. She threw the clipboard at me and stomped away. I just stared at it on the ground before leaning down and picking it up. On the top right corner I had written: You don't have to believe me but I really do care. I don't like the way people treat house elves. You're doing the right thing. Don't stop.

Then I put it back down on the ground and walked away. I never knew what happened after that because I wasn't there to see it.

After that day though we had put clothes on our elves. My father had agreed that it was wrong to treat them that way but if Voldemort were to ever come over, we treated them that way. But once he left we would give them extra treats and goodies because we felt they deserved it. 

"You have a letter." my mom finally said. I frowned looking at the envelope outstretched towards me. It had the Hogwarts seal on the back and I had a small feeling that I knew what it was.

 "Who is it from?" I asked. 

"Professor McGonagall." she stated simply.

I knew that it was from her, but then I wondered what it could be about. We were there for our seven years. Well technically six. Maybe we were going to go back for another year. It seemed strange that I would be invited back though considering I was one of the people who caused the war.

"Thank you." I mumbled as I grabbed the letter. I placed it down next to my cup and continued eating.

"Well aren't you going to open it?" she asked.

"Well I was hoping to finish eating first." 

She nodded and allowed me to finish eating. She decided to stay as I opened the letter and I read it silently.

 

   HOGWARTS SCHOOL _of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY

                                 _________________________________________                                   

All previous seventh years at Hogwarts are required to come back for another year. You aren't allowed the use of magic since it has not been fully taught yet. If you choose not to come keep in mind that I, or any other Professors will find you and bring you back to school ourselves. The Ministry won't be so lenient. Should a Ministry Official be the one to find you, you can be assured that you will either go to Azkaban or be obliviated and sent to the Muggle world without any knowledge of magic.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

 

"What does it say?" 

"It says that I need to go back to Hogwarts." I replied.

"Let me see." 

I felt another piece of parchment underneath and slid it out handing my mom the other letter. She read over it and her eyes widened as she continued to do so.

I began reading over the second letter to see what it said.

 

 Dear Mr. Malfoy,

This is a letter for your eyes, and your eyes only. It is enchanted so that neither your Mom nor Dad, or anyone else who tries to read it for that matter, can read it but you. If you speak a word of this to anyone I can be in a lot of trouble so please keep this to yourself.

 

I looked up at my mom and saw her staring at the letter with disbelief. "I can't believe it." she whispered.

I chuckled silently and looked back at the parchment so that I could read what the rest of the letter said.

 

Things will not be the same this year at Hogwarts and it isn't just because we lost both Dumbledore and Snape. There are going to be a few new changes. I could get in lots of trouble for saying this but seeing as you are one of my two favorite students, I decided to make an exception.

There is to be a new Law passed at Hogwarts. Many will not like this law and you might not either. It is issued by the Minister so I have no power over any of it. If I had, I would just allow you all to do as you please with whomever you wished. I can't say much more but I do hope that you like whoever you end up with.

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

 

I reread the note a few times to see if what I was seeing was actually there. "What's that?" my mom asked.

"Just a piece of parchment."

"Then why are you staring at it like it's your lifeline?"

"Because McGonagall never gives and empty piece of parchment. It's just a waste."

"I suppose. So it appears that you are going to have to go to Hogwarts again. Just be there... on October 5th okay?" she asked.

"Of course mom." I smiled.

I walked upstairs to find something to do for the day, with the letters in mind. One question kept resurfacing though.

Who is McGonagall's other favorite student, and why the hell am I one of them?

 


	2. Chapter 2: Law

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nathalia is pronounced Natalia. The H is silent.

(Hermione's POV)

 

The train ride seemed a lot longer than usual. I don't know if it was because I was excited to be going back to school or if it was because I was really nervous about this new law thing.

When the train stopped Harry, Ron, Ginny, and I walked up to the Great Hall and over to our table. It was amazing how nothing looks different. I mean the Great Hall looks exactly the same as it had before.

The tables were in the same spots, the teachers were in the same spots, the ghosts in the same spots as they prepared to frighten the first years, and even where the students sat was the same as last year. It was like nothing had happened.

The first years piled in and McGonagall described what was going to happen like she did every year. Student after student sat down on the chair and got placed into their new houses. I was already bored of this but as I looked at the students again I saw a familiar face. 

She was one of my best friends from Muggle school.

"Is that Nathalia?" I asked quietly.

"I'm sorry did you say something?" Ron asked.

I just waved his question off and stared as she walked up to the stool. I didn't really hear her name but I noticed she was the last student to get sorted. The sorting hat sat quietly and mumbled quietly into her ear but for some reason I could hear every word.

What I didn't get though was if she was a witch my age, why is she only in her first year?

"Hmm. I see well you learned all your magic from your brother..." it started.

Wait! Nathalia has a brother? How come I didn't know about this?

"He taught you well too. You could probably just slide into seventh year and finish with no problems. Of course you wouldn't be the smartest kid in the whole school but you'll be close." it whispered.

McGonagall nodded her head as if to say she was okay with Nathalia moving up to seventh year.

"Seventh year it is for you then. Now where to put you. Difficult decisions, difficult decisions. Perhaps with your brother in Slythe..."

"No please."

Her eyes roamed around as the hat decided where she would go. Then her eyes locked with mine.

"Okay then. Gryffindor!" the hat shouted.

Draco stood up and was about to say something but she stood up. 

"Hermione? Is that you?" she asked.

"No!" Draco yelled.

"Nathalia. Oh my god I haven't seen you in forever." I yelled as I hugged her.

Then I looked over to Draco and started laughing.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"Draco's face." I replied.

"Ooh I need to tell you something. My broth..." she started but she was cut off my McGonagall.

"Girls, you need to go to the Gryffindor table so that we can finish the feast."

We nodded and headed back to the table.

"Welcome first years, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm sure you'll find it very nice here. Your luggage will be at the end of your beds. Mr. Filch would like me to remind you of a few things. The forbidden forest is of course, forbidden. And no snooping around after hours. Let the feast begin." she said in a very Dumbledore-like way.

The food appeared on the platters and I grabbed a few rolls and some meat. I looked over to see Ron stuffing his mouth full of food and scrunched my nose in disgust.

He could be a pig sometimes. I chuckled as some grease dribbled down his chin though.

"How come you didn't tell me you were a witch?" I asked. 

"I didn't think you were one."

"Okay. Well then why didn't you tell me that you had a brother?" 

She turned and looked away. Her eyes moving over to the Slytherin table. Theo waved and Draco pushed his hands down before smiling and waving to her anyways.

Before I could say anything Harry introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you too Harry. I'm Nathalia and you aren't as bad as my brother makes you out to be."

"Thanks." he said

She looked at the Slytherin table again and Theo made a funny face. Draco pushed it away and mouthed 'sorry' as he smiled. I was completely shocked by this action.

"God Draco is so annoying and such a hypocrite sometimes." she said.

"How do you know Theo and Draco?" I asked.

"I'm Ron." Ron said.

"Nice to meet you too Ron."

Soon dinner was over and so was desert and before we knew it, it was time to go. But I felt as though there was something missing. Something was supposed to happen.

"Alright. Alright. Everybody calm down." McGonagall tried.

"Silence!" she yelled.

Everyone stopped talking and listened to McGonagall.

"All student may leave the Great Hall and head to your dormitories. As I have said you stuff should already be there. If you are a seventh year then stay here." she said.

Everyone  but the seventh years left and we all waited silently for what was about to happen. A man walked out and I realized that he was the Minister.

So this was about the law.

"Hello everyone. There is to be a law passed. It is a law that requires the sorting hat and you. It is a law that uses the sorting hat to match together soulmates. It is the Marriage Law and it must be upheld to improve the population we just lost due to the war." he said.

There were boos from all over the hall. "You can't do that!" Ron yelled.

"It's okay. We'll be together." I promised. He nodded his head but still looked uneasy.

"Aww that's so cute." Nathalia whispered. 

I blushed because I knew she was talking about me and Ron. Then I turned and saw her staring at Theo, blushing a bit.

I was about to ask her a question when the Minister spoke up. "We are going to call the males by name and they will place the hat on their head. The hat will then determine the best soulmate and it is final. Any who disagree with the law will face serious consequences." he said.

Then McGonagall began calling names. Student after student got paired up and put aside.

"Harry. No matter what happens, stay with me please." Ginny whispered. 

"I will. No matter what. I promise." he said.

"Harry Potter."

He slowly walked up there and with a murderous look on his face, sat down.

"Well that wouldn't be the smartest idea now would it? Very well then. Ginny Weasley." it yelled. Ginny smiled as she skipped over to Harry and the walked hand in hand over to the other couples.

There were only four people on both sides at this point. The males were Draco, Ron, Blaise, and Theo. Astoria, Nathalia, Pansy, and I were the only girls left too. I was either going to be with Ron or a Slytherin. Great.

"Ronald Weasley." McGonagall called.

He nervously walked up to the stool and sat down. McGonagall gingerly placed the hat on his head. It stayed silent for a few minutes. It hadn't even whispered anything.

I leaned over to Nathalia. "Dude this is weird. It is never silent like this."

"I know."

Finally the hat seemed to come to an agreement.

"Pansy Parkinson!" 

"What!?" all three of us yelled.

"I said Pansy Parkinson." the hat said.

"I know what you said, but why me?" Pansy asked.

"It doesn't matter, the hat has chosen, so it shall be." the Minister said.

I sighed as I sat back down. Great, now I'm going to be stuck with a Slytherin.

"Theodore Nott!" the hat called.

Theo walked up there and sat on the stool. I was hoping that it would call my name because I hated him less than the other two stuck there.

"Nathalia Malfoy!" the hat yelled.

I didn't hear the Malfoy part though because I sighed and tuned out. Seriously. Life sucks.Now I'm either stuck with Zabini or Malfoy.

"Blaize Zabini!"

He walked up there and McGonagall started lowering the hat. It didn't even touch his head before shouting out the name.

"Astoria Greengrass!"

Wait that means I'm with... "Malfoy?" I asked.

"You gotta be kidding me. There has to be some mistake." I yelled.

"Please let us do a redo. This can't be right." Draco said.

"Sorry no redoes. What's done is done." the Minister said. Then he got up and walked out.

Draco and I walked towards the other couples and Nathalia mouthed 'sorry'. Draco winked at her as he stood next to her.

"Oh don't even start with me Draco." she said.

"What I can't play with you?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because..." she struggled.

"Because..."

"Because I don't like you." she decided.

"No but you love me." he said cheekily.

"I have too."

He smiled as he faced forward. Then the Minister came rushing back in.

"A few more things." he said.

Everyone groaned.

"All couples must be married within a year and have two children within four years." he said. Then he turned and left for good this time but I stood there shocked.

That meant I had to... with... ugh god. I shivered and heard Nathalia say that sucks.

Then she turned and began leaving the Hall.

"Not so fast Nathalia. You, Granger, Potter, Zabini, and Weasley come here with your partners." McGonagall called.

"What is it Professor?" I asked. Draco scoffed next to me and I glared at him.

" You ten will be sharing a dormitory. There are five rooms. One for each couple. One bathroom per couple. One kitchen and one Common Room. Nathalia and Theo are the new Head Boy and Head Girl." she said.

Then she let us all go. We all walked up the stairs to where our dorm was supposed to be. A portrait of Professor Snape hung on the wall. "Password?" he asked.

"Dragon!" I said. Draco snickered as the portrait swung open revealing our dorm.

The common Room was beautiful. Two of the corners were Green with a Snake on it and the other two were Red with a Lion on it. The identical corners were opposites. the couches were red with green lining and the carpet was green with red lining. 

I wondered why everything was Green and Red and then I realized there were five Gryffindors and five Slytherins. We walked upstairs to where the bedrooms were and found each door was open.

Harry and Ginny had a red room. The wall was Dark red with a few light red stripes and had two Lions intertwined. Blaise and Astoria had a similar room except it was green and had snakes instead. Ron and Pansy had a red wall with green stripes and a lion and a snake. Nathalia and Theo had a half red with green stripes and half green with red stripes wall and a lion and snake. 

Each room had the names on the doors. The Potter's. The Weasley's. The Nott's. The Zabini's.

I was eager to see what our room looked like so I walked over to our door. Then I saw the sign. 'The Malfoy's'. I forgot that I was going to have to change my last name. I nearly puked.

"Well are you going to go in?" a voice asked. I jumped and he chuckled. Then he leaned forward and whispered making his hot breath trail along my neck giving me the chills.

"You're going to have to get used to it. I mean we will be married Gr-Hermione." he said. 

I sighed and pushed the door open. Our room had dark green walls with a few red stripes. A lion and a snake intertwined and just thinking of that happening with Malfoy made me sick. Our bed cover had four squares. The two red and two green, diagonal from each other.

Then I realized... there was only one bed.

"You're sleeping on the floor." I said.

"Uh no I'm not. If anyone's sleeping on the floor, it's you." he said.

"Um no."

He walked over to the bed casually and started taking things off, making a bed on the floor for me. I jumped on the bed and spread my arms and legs out so that he wasn't going to be able to get on.

He tried pushing me off but I didn't budge. "There's only one way to get me off." 

He stared ate me for a moment before leaning down and tickling my sides making me curl up in a ball. I started laughing because of it and soon he was laughing too.

He was genuinely smiling and it was amazing. His eyes twinkled and I realized then that he wasn't as bad as he seemed. 

Then there was a loud gasp and both of us froze. We both looked at the door and saw Ron standing there. Draco's smile fell. He coughed and straightened his shirt as he got up.

"Well Granger... I mean Hermione. You can sleep on the bed tonight just don't touch me. I'm going to shower." he said. Then he turned and left.

"Ron can I use your shower?" I asked.

He nodded. Once I finished I lied down in bed and closed my eyes, letting my thoughts drift. How could Nathalia lie to me about being a witch? How could she forget to tell me she had a brother? I wonder who it is. Why do I have to be with Malfoy of all people? The sorting hat was crazy. This was going to be an interesting and sucky relationship.


	3. Chapter 3: Something Occuring

(Draco's POV)

 

I undressed and got in the shower. I didn't understand the feelings occurring within me at the moment.

I had laughed with Hermione. I was so upset that I had to be with her. Why Hermione? It made no sense. The Sorting Hat must have been wrong because there is no way that I am most compatible with her.

Then again... I have hated her for years and what happened just now was no accident. I have been trying to change after the war and have been given a second chance as well as my mother. My father might get one but might not. It is to be determined on the 5th of October.

That was why it was so vital for me to be there on that day. If my father got a second chance he promised to clean up his act but if he didn't then he would get the Dementor's Kiss. I didn't think he really deserved either but he would get one or the other.

Anyway as I was previously thinking, why was I laughing with Hermione? I was just trying to get her off of the bed because I was not going to sleep on the floor. I realized that I had to tickle her because she would curl up in a ball and laugh.

I did so and she did as well but she was smiling and laughing and it was... well... I don't know the word. It caused me to start laughing too. I couldn't help it she just looked so... cute. Did I just call Hermione cute?

I finished up in the shower and dressed into my pants before crawling into be beside her. I turned my back to her not wanting to be here. There was nothing that I could do though so I just let it be.

 

(Hermione's POV)

 

I woke up the next morning facing a bare back. That's a hot back. Then I shook my head when I remembered who's it was. Then I jumped out of bed in disgust after I fully realized who's back it was. 

Note to self... Malfoy sleeps without a shirt. I shuddered and went downstairs to make breakfast, laughing slightly when I saw how confused Pansy was with the microwave. "What are you laughing at?" she asked. 

"Here I'll help." I said.

"Thank you." she replied. I turned and stared at her. "What now?" she asked. 

"Did you just..." I started. 

"Yeah. I'm trying to change. I don't want to be rude anymore so I'm trying. Now can you please help?" she asked. I nodded and began showing her how to work the thing.

After I was done, both of us were laughing at how easy it really was. I moved over and began baking some eggs showing her how to work everything. "Something smells amazing." Ron said coming downstairs followed by Ginny, Blaise, Astoria, Harry,Theo, and Nathalia.

"Just breakfast." I said. I served them all and sat down eating as well. Then sleepily, Draco stumbled in and my stomach flip-flopped. Quit it. 

"What do you want?" I asked getting up. 

"Breakfast." he said defensively. 

"No I mean to eat. What do you want for breakfast?" I asked. 

"Whatever's fine with you Hermione." he said sitting down. I nodded and began cooking a few pancakes eggs and bacon.

I felt someone staring at me and I realized it was Ron. "What do you want Ron?" I asked.

 "You do realize he called you Hermione right?" he asked. I froze and tensed up. Did he really? Then I snapped out of it quickly and finished cooking. I almost burned it there.

I handed him the plate and he thanked me. Everyone sat silently wondering why he was being so nice. "Why are you being so nice?" Ron finally asked. 

"Trying to change after the war." he said. That was it.

"Why should we believe you?" Ron bit.

"Ask Nathalia. She knows."

I looked over to Nathalia. "Can you please tell me how you two know each other. I mean my best friend and my former enemy slash fiancee are close... I would like to know." I said.

"You mean you didn't tell her?"

"Tell me what?" I asked.

"Hermione, Draco and I..." she started.

Ginny interrupted because she saw how uncomfortable Nathalia was. 

"What happened last night?" Ginny asked trying to start a conversation. 

"Me and Pansy got in a fight and then as I was walking away I saw something that I have never seen or thought I would see before." Ron said.

"What did you see?" I asked.

 "You should know. You were part of it." he said. 

"Oh that." I chuckled turning away to hide my blush.

 "Well we don't know. What did you see?" Harry asked.

 "I gotta go before I miss... uh... McGonagall." I said quickly. 

"Me too." Draco said stuffing a pancake in his mouth. Then we both hurried out of the common room and began laughing.

"Did you really need to see McGonagall?" he asked.

 "Of course not. I just didn't want to be there when he told them what happened." I mumbled. 

"Me too." he chuckled.

 "Why so nervous about it?" I teased. 

"Why me? Why you?" 

 "Because... silly... I didn't want to be there when Ginny found out." I said.

"HERMIONE!" Ginny squealed. 

"That's why." I said running and he quickly followed suit when he heard her excited feet. We both turned the corner and ran into a secret passage that led us to the Slytherin Common Room. We both started laughing so hard that we were hunched over. 

"That was fun." I said.

 "That it was." he replied. Then we both stood up and tried to breathe but found many faces staring straight at us.

 "We should go." I said grabbing his hand and running through the passage again.


	4. Chapter 4: Conversations

I will never admit how much fun I had. We ran out to avoid the prying eyes of Slytherin, trying to hold in our laughter. "What are you two doing?" McGonagall asked, eyeing our hands intertwined.

I pulled mine out of hers and my smile fell. "We were uh..." Hermione started, trying to come up with a lie. I had a strange feeling that if we lied, McGonagall would know but if we told the truth she wouldn't do anything.

"We were running from Ginny. Ron was telling her a story and she got overexcited and we ran so she didn't catch us." I said. Hermione glared at me but smiled when McGonagall nodded and reminded us not to be late to our first class.

"How did you know that she wouldn't do anything?" Hermione asked.

 "I didn't." 

 She glared at me again as we walked into the Common Room. "Hermione!" Ginny yelled. Hermione stared at me with large, pleading eyes and I just chuckled, shaking my head.

 "I have to go prepare for class Hermione." I smiled.

"This isn't helping your case of me hating you any less." she scowled.

 "Feel free to hate me as much as you'd like. We still have to get married." I said. Then I winked and turned away, hurrying upstairs when I heard Ginny's giggles.

 

(Hermione's POV)

 

I will admit it was a bit fun to be running around with Draco. Was. Then he decided to leave me to my death with Ginny to prepare. He winked as he turned and strutted upstairs and I stared up after him. I didn't know what to feel right now. There were so many feeling that I just couldn't place one.

I was shocked that he left. Angry that he left. Shocked that he winked. Flustered because of the way he was acting. And other... feelings. 

"You're staring." Ginny said. 

"Am not." I choked as I turned to face her. She hugged me tightly and squealed causing me to nearly go deaf in one ear.

"I suppose Ron told you." I grumbled. 

"Well of course he did. It is so cute. George is going to have to owe me double." she mumbled. I didn't hear that last part but I had an idea about what she said.

 "What?" 

"Never mind that. So how are things between you and Draco going?" Nathalia asked as she walked in.

Great now I'm going to have to deal with an overexcited Nathalia too.

"Oh no. We are not going there." I chuckled.

 "Why? If you don't want to say anything, that just means there really is something going on." she sang.

"There is nothing going on between me and Draco." I groaned.

 "Really? So that tickle fight yesterday... that was nothing going on?" Ginny asked. 

"No. I didn't want him to sleep on the bed but he wasn't allowing me to take it so as he made a bed for me on the floor..." I started.

"Wait. He was going to make a bed for you on the floor?" she asked. 

"Yeah but I could understand why. Anyway, I sprawled myself out on the bed so he couldn't get on it and as much as he tried to move me... he couldn't. I told him there was only one way he could get me off. He stared at me and remembered I curled into a ball when I was being tickled. So that's what he did. I was laughing because it's hard not to when your being tickled. And I realized that soon he was too." I explained.

"That is so... not romantic. Ron made it sound really cute." Ginny said. 

"Yeah well he only saw that last part." I mumbled.

 "Why did you two run then?" Nathalia asked. 

"Because knowing you, you would get excited and overreact and not listen to anything said until afterward." I said. They looked confused about who I was talking to but honestly it didn't matter they both were the same.

 "Right."

"How did you feel about the fight yesterday?  Oh and your little run around the castle too?" she asked.

 "How did you know about that?" I asked.

 "I'm the Head Girl and I literally see everything happening in the whole school." Nathalia said. I must have looked confused because she added some things. "I showed Ginny."

"You still need to answer my question though. How did you feel about them?" Ginny asked again. 

"Well the tickle fight yesterday was revealing. I saw a side to him that I didn't know existed. It was... different." I said. 

"Different how?" she asked.

I sat on the couch in the Common Room because we had a few hours before class and I knew that they weren't going to just drop the subject. Both girls followed suit and we continued our discussion.

"Different. Good. He seemed kinder. He seemed like a different person and the smile and laughter was genuine. It made the darkness behind our years, disappear. For a moment... I forgot everything that had happened. I forgot we were enemies and it felt... nice." I replied. Ginny squealed and I stared at her confused.

"What?" I asked.

"Oh my goodness. There's no way is there?" Nathalia asked but she wasn't talking to me. She was talking to Ginny.

"I think it is possible. Oh my god. I just... wow."

"What are you two talking about?" I asked confused.

 "Nothing." she replied quickly. Our conversation then changed into classes and other things of the sort.

 

(Draco's POV)

 

I knew that we had a few more hours before class, so I went and found Pansy. I just didn't feel like talking to Theo because of his overexcited nature. He was a lot like Ginny in that way and Bliase was gone somewhere with Astoria so that left me to talk to Potter, Weasel, and Pansy. I decided on the latter.

"How are you and Ron?" I asked when we sat on the bed.

"Good I guess. He can be really messy and it bothers me but I'm going to have to get used to it in the end." she said. "What about you and Hermione?"

"What about us? We hate each other." I replied.

 "What about the tickle fight and the running?" she asked. 

"How did you... never mind I don't want to know." I mumbled. 

"I saw the footage as I was walking past Theo and Nathalia's Room. I'm surprised she didn't tell Hermione about it. I mean seriously. They seem to be really close. Anyway... how did you feel?"

 "About..." I asked trying to play dumb.

 "Don't play dumb Draco. It doesn't suit you very well." she replied. 

"Fine." I groaned. I fell backwards onto the bed and covered my eyes with my arm. I replayed the scenes in my head and my stomach twisted. _Stop it. You hate her._

"It felt different being near her. She seemed so light and kind. She always did in the past but it seemed like everything dark, everything heated, everything we hated was gone. As if it never happened or existed. When we were running and fighting there was this odd twinkle in her eye and everything seemed so real. I couldn't help but smile as well. After the war I had been trying to change but it wasn't working out too well. There was always some obstacle or something wrong.My father leaving, my mother's depression and everything in between.  It never felt easy. But in those moments it was the easiest thing ever. Easier than even breathing. I had forgotten how for a moment and the only thing I could think about was how much I really wanted to change for the better. I forgot all of my life before and honestly being with her makes me really nervous. I feel as though I will mess everything up with just one word." I replied.

"Oh my god." Pansy squeaked. 

"What?" I frowned.

 "You love her." she said.

 "No I don't. I love Astoria. She will always be mine." I said quickly and defensively.

"Whether you do or not you still have to be with Hermione. Astoria and you just aren't compatible enough."

"Yes we are."

"Really? Then why did the sorting hat separate you two?"

I growled because I knew she was right. "Fine. Your right but I don't love Hermione."

 "You keep telling yourself that." she chuckled. I sighed as I sat up and decided to leave. I couldn't deal with this right now.

I heard Hermione, Ginny, and Nathalia talking and decided to listen to what they were saying. It had to have been more interesting than the conversation I just left from.

  "...didn't know existed. It was... different." Hermione said. 

"Different how?" Ginny asked.  There was a sound that indicated that they had moved on to the couches but I continued listening.

"Different. Good. He seemed kinder. He seemed like a different person and the smile and laughter was genuine. It made the darkness behind our years, disappear. For a moment... I forgot everything that had happened. I forgot we were enemies and it felt... nice." Hermione replied. I felt heat rise to my cheeks which made me feel both angry and embarrassed, and I heard Ginny squeal.

"What?" Hermione asked. 

"Oh my goodness. There's no way is there?" Nathalia asked but she wasn't talking to Hermione. She was talking to Ginny.

"I think it is possible. Oh my god. I just... wow."

"What are you two talking about?" Hermione  asked confused.

"Nothing." Ginny replied quickly. Then their conversation switched to classes and all that boring stuff. I walked toward the kitchen to make myself something to eat but remembered I didn't know how to work anything. 

"I should probably go help him." Hermione said quickly.

(Ginny's POV)

Pansy came downstairs just moments after Hermione had left and the three of us spoke in hushed whispers and semi-quiet squeals about the conversations we just had. "George owes me double because he and Fred believed it wouldn't happen." I said. 

"Yeah well, each teacher owes Professor McGonagall twice as much because she and Dumbledore said it would happen but everyone else disagreed." Pansy whispered.

"Wait Dumbledore I get. But McGonagall, betting? That's just odd." 

 "I know but I accidentally stumbled upon the conversation one day in the hall and found it quite interesting." Pansy said.

We both giggled silently but stopped when there were a few noises from the kitchen. All three of us quietly got up and headed towards the wall, peering around it so that we could see what was going on. 

"I told you I didn't need any help." Draco said.

 "Yeah. I can see that. Tell me, do you think the toast is supposed to be black?" Hermione asked sarcastically.

 "Haha, sassypants." Draco bit.

 "Whoa. Sounds like someone doesn't want food." Hermione said smirking.

Hermione shoved Draco out of the way and began cooking up some food for him. I bit back my laughter as Draco snuck towards the oven and grabbed the rag hanging on the handle. He whipped it out and it hit Hermione's arm with a slap.

"Ow!" she shouted. She grabbed a towel and spray bottle and began squirting him with it. Smacks were heard as the towels were whipped at each other and Draco rustled around frantically, looking for something to use against Hermione.

He found a water gun and soon there was a full blown water and towel war in the kitchen. Snaps and spraying could be heard from everywhere. They shouted playfully and laughed and smiled. They both seemed to be having a lot of fun. 

Soon they were both tired and they collapsed into the chairs at the table. Towel and bottle still in hand, panting as they finished laughing. I couldn't hold it in anymore and neither could the other two girls. We all fell over laughing at the two in front of us. It was such an adorable scene and they seemed to have a lot of fun too.

Now I could understand what they both said about the past being forgotten during times like that. They were so carefree and happy that it seemed like there was never a war. It seemed like they were never enemies but were always friends. It was amazing and I couldn't help but smile when I thought of the beautiful future ahead of them.

"How much did you guys see?" Hermione asked quickly. 

"All of it and might I say. You two are great together." Pansy said. 

"We're not... that wasn't... we aren't..." Draco struggled. 

"Not a couple I know, but you are engaged. Just saying." I winked. Then Pansy, Nathalia, and I turned around, laughing as we headed back towards the Common Room.

They were great together and perfect for each other. "I never thought I would say this but... Draco might actually be the perfect match for Hermione." I said. 

"And why do you say that?" Pansy asked curiously.

"When Hermione was dating my brother, it seemed off. It never seemed like they were there for each other. It seemed as though the only reason they were together was because it was expected of them to do so. Harry was going to wind up with me and everyone expected at least one couple there. There was no passion. Hermione and Ron got in fights often and she couldn't control him. He would ruin her day or week because of something that he said and they were able to avoid each other happily and normally for weeks at a time." I replied.

"That doesn't answer why you think Draco is better for Hermione." Nathalia pointed out.

"Even though there was a dark past in both of their lives, they seem genuinely happy. Ron and Hermione had to work hard to make the other happy but it seems that with Hermione and Draco, they just do the simplest thing and are incredibly happy. There is a passion there that no one saw coming but it was definitely there. No one expected it so nothing is mechanical and if they were to fight I bet that they could also go weeks at a time without talking to one another but they wouldn't be upset about what happened. They would either be devastated or angry about it. He shows her how to have a little fun. How to live life on the edge a little. She shows him how to change for the better. They work very well for each other." I replied.

"I suppose they are perfect for each other. The sorting hat may have been right after all." Pansy agreed.


	5. Chapter 5: The Missing Teacher

(Hermione's POV)

 

I was so embarrassed that Ginny, Pansy and Nathalia saw all of that. We just had a conversation about it and I think I knew where Ginny was headed with it. That's why I changed the subject quickly. I didn't want to listen to her talking about how me and Draco this... and me and Draco that... It would be quite annoying. 

Even worse would be if Draco walked in and heard everything. I began cleaning up the mess that we made in there and sighed as I threw away the now burned food. "It's alright, I wasn't too hungry anyway." he chuckled. My stomach twisted in knots at the sound and I had to tell myself to calm down.

"I can make you something else if you really want it." I suggested. 

"Nah... it's all good." 

 We continued cleaning the kitchen in an odd silence. Finally he decided to break it so that it wouldn't be so awkward. Thank goodness for that.

"So...  I have a question that's been bugging me." he said.

 "What?" I asked. 

"How did you know my laughter was genuine?" he asked. I whipped my head around to stare at him. There's no way he could have known about that. How did he know that?

"How much did you hear?" I asked.

 "Not too much. Just how you were describing... whatever it was... as different in a good way. I knew immediately you were talking about me though. Quite cute." he chuckled. I glared at him and finished cleaning my area.

"Because of your eyes." I stated.

 "What?" 

 It was his turn to be confused. "When we were fighting and you were laughing and smiling, your eyes were shining and the skin near it crinkled. That's how you know if it's truly genuine or not." I said.

 "Huh. Yours did the same... does that mean you enjoyed it as well?" he asked.

"You know the answer to that." I replied, rolling my eyes. 

"So do you like me?" he teased. 

"As if. How could I like someone like you?" 

 "How do you mean?" he asked. 

"Well someone so... so... arrogant. Annoying. I could never be with someone like you unless I was forced... which I guess I am." I said. I don't know why saying that hurt me but it did.

Draco shut up and turned away. I wondered what he was thinking and hoped I hadn't hurt him too badly. Then I mentally kicked myself for thinking such things. He remained silent for the remainder of the time we were in there.

We finally finished cleaning up the kitchen and prepared to go to our classes. We had Defense Against the Dark Arts today and that was it. It was sort of strange that it was our only class though. We would be getting a new teacher but no one knew who it was yet.

Ginny made her way over to me before we left the Common Room. "Who do you think the teacher will be?" she asked.

 "I have no idea. No one does." I whispered back.

 "It's strange really. It is our only class today and it's with a teacher that no one knows." she said. 

"I guess it is a bit odd isn't it?" I asked. She just nodded as we came to the door. On it there was a note in scribbled writing.

 

Dear class,

I am sorry but I could not make it today. There have been some pressing matters and no one was able to fill in today.

 Behind this note you will find an envelope with your names written on it. Enclosed in it is your assignment for the night. I will see you as soon as I get back. 

Sincerely,

Your Professor.

 

It was even stranger that he hadn't written his name down. So we still didn't know who he was. Of course we didn't, why would we?

Ginny and I shrugged and handed out the envelopes before heading back to our Common Room to get it over with. A few hours later we were done and had relaxed on the sofa. "I wonder what was so important that made him leave." Ginny said.

 "I wonder why no one else filled in." I muttered.

"Probably because everyone thinks that, that position is cursed." Ginny said. 

"What?" 

"Well, think about it. Nobody has been here longer than a year due to Voldemort. First year was Professor Quirrell. Second Year wasn't actually because of Voldemort but still, Lockhart. Third Year, again wasn't Voldemort, but Lupin. Fourth was Madeye. Fifth Umbridge. Sixth was Snape." she said.

"Okay." I replied confused. What did this have to do with anything?

"No one was in that position for more than a year because it was Jinxed by Voldemort long before our time. Since then there has been a new teacher every year for that position. People stopped coming because they realized that it was a cursed position and they still believe that it is even though curses are usually undone with the death of that person." she said.

"Oh." I muttered. Now I really wanted to know who our new teacher is. Soon it was getting dark and I showered before lying in bed, staring at the ceiling.

 "I'm going to go take a shower." Draco muttered. I nodded as he walked in to the bathroom.

My mind still kept wandering about. I couldn't help but try and figure out who our new teacher could be. Ginny was definitely right. It was extremely strange.


	6. Chapter 6: Flashes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTES: There are flashes in here as you can tell by the title. Flashes as in images and scenes from the past so basically a flashback but from another's perspective. The flashes will be italisized and in paragraphs. Each paragraph is another year at Hogwarts. Thanks and enjoy. -Levi

(Draco's POV)

 

I let the warm water pour down my neck and back as I leaned against the shower wall, thinking. I couldn't help but think about what I had overheard Ginny and Hermione talking about.

Did she really find me different in a good way? Or was she just saying that to get Ginny off of her case? I had a million questions zooming through my mind and I didn't know the answers to a single one. 

There were a million other things that I could be focusing on right now but they weren't there. The only thing that I could think about was her. She had forgotten everything about our pasts in those moments. I knew now that I wasn't the only one and that made me feel a little bit better about everything.

I couldn't figure out what that everything meant though. What could it possibly mean?

One thought kept resurfacing during my search to figure it out and that thought was something Pansy had said when I told her how I felt about Hermione during that fight.

"You love her." she said.

 I shook the thought away. No. I didn't love her. It was just something that happened and we both forgot what the past had brought us. That was it. There was nothing more to it. But then why did I feel so upset when when she called me arrogant and annoying? It hurt even worse though, when she said she could never be with someone like me unless she had to... which she did now.

I don't know why it hurt so much and it confused me to no end. "You love her." Pansy's voice said again.

 Nope. No way. Nuh uh. I shook my head and decided to finish showering. I turned around and noticed something near the drain. It was shiny. I leaned down to inspect it closer and saw that it was a golden necklace which curled over an emerald heart and had three small diamonds just above the curl. 

The necklace oddly reminded me of my own. I never wore jewelry but my mother loved it. She went out one day, and knowing my favorite color was red, got me a necklace with a ruby in it. I wore it to special occasions with the family, such as parties, gatherings, and just formal dinners. My mother loved to see me wearing it. That's the only reason I kept it. I loved seeing my mother happy and if wearing that necklace was one of the ways to do it, then that's what I was going to do.

No one knew about it though. It was sitting in the small little treasure chest in my bag. 

I realized that the necklace in front of me, must have belonged to Hermione. It must have fallen off when she took a shower earlier. I reached forward and tried to pick it up. An image flashed across my vision. It was of a young girl with bushy hair and I knew that it was Hermione. I dropped the necklace and fell backwards causing a loud thump.

"Are you okay in there?" Hermione asked. 

"I'm fine thanks." I yelled back.

 "Alright." she yelled.

I stayed sitting down and thought about what just  happened. When I saw the image, everything around me faded into white except that picture of her. I had a strange feeling too. Touching the necklace made me feel... secure. But there was something else too... I just couldn't place my finger on it.

I decided that I wanted to find out what it was. Gulping nervously, I reached down and grabbed the necklace. A series of images flashed past but they were too quick for me to see. Then it finally settled on one.

_I was laughing with my friends when some girl opened the door. She hadn't knocked or asked to come in, she just did. Blaise glared at her because she had no right to do that. She stared at the ground as she asked if we had seen a toad. That boy Neville lost it... again. I continued staring at her and she looked up. I half expected to see how I felt about her doing so but instead found myself feeling something else. She stared straight back at me and one thought filled my head. 'God he's cute.'_

I pulled my hand back and chuckled slightly. Now I knew how the flashes worked... sort of. I would go back to a moment between the two of us and would feel what she felt, see what she saw, and think what she thought. It was quite funny actually. Earlier I had asked if she liked me and now I can find out if she was lying or not.

_She was staring at the test in front of her and trying to answer the questions but she couldn't answer them. Her mind was elsewhere. She couldn't think properly with all of the questions and riddles running through her mind. A chair screeched as I got up from my chair and her head whipped around.' How is Draco finished before me? Did I just call him Draco? Why did I do that? Focus Hermione Focus. But why did he finish first? Wait... he is the second smartest person in the school, only second to me of course.' she watched as I walked out of the classroom with a smirk on my face and continued to stare at the door long after I had left._

I chuckled again as I imagined what happened afterwards. Snape must have smacked her with his book and made her focus. It is quite a funny picture actually, considering she never gets in trouble and never has to be told twice about finishing her assignments.

_Hermione watched in awe as Harry set down with Buckbeak. I didn't believe that you had to go through that whole process just to touch it so I walked straight forward. "Draco no!" she yelled. I walked forward anyway and got hit on the arm. She ran forward only to remember we were supposed to be enemies so she made her way towards Harry instead, to cover it up. 'God I hope he's okay.' The scene then changed to another point in the same year. I recognized it too. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had just gotten back from Hagrid's hut. It was supposed to be the execution of Buckbeak. I remember not actually wanting the beautiful creature killed but I was afraid of what would happen had I not acted like I did. I made fun of Hermione for everything and she became pissed. She threatened me with her wand and for a moment I was terrified. 'I hope he learns his lesson. Don't mess with me when I'm upset or it will only make things worse for him.' Then instead of hexing me she punched me in the face. 'That felt kinda good. But I hope he's okay.'_

She punched me in the face, thought it felt good, then hoped I was okay. I am starting to see a new side to Hermione that I didn't know existed.

_I stood at the bottom of the stairs, smiling and laughing with Pansy. I had pretended to do so because I didn't want her to think I hated her and because she was the only person who knew my soft side and would often listen to me talk about how much life sucked. I turned and watched as Hermione walked down the stairs in her elegant dress smiling at Victor Krum, who awaited her at the bottom. I had turned back around and was talking to Pansy again so that I could avoid the feelings coursing through my veins. Her smile faltered when she saw me having a great time with Pansy. 'Ugh I hate her. She's so annoying and clingy. What does he see in her?' When Krum asked her what was wrong she replied with a short nothing and danced with him. Later when they took a break from dancing she realized how much she missed actually talking to someone. She tried talking to Ron but he was pissed about her not going with him. She angrily walked off and seemed to calm down a bit until she saw me dancing happily with Pansy. The only reason I was so happy at the moment was because Pansy had given me some great advice before asking me to dance to my favorite song. Hermione huffed angrily and stormed off being in an even worse mood when she yelled at Harry later._

Huh. So Hermione can get very jealous at times. That will make this relationship a bit more interesting.

_She was helping train Dumbledore's Army and they were doing very well at it. They had progressed a lot but then suddenly there was a loud ruckus as a hole appeared in the wall. Umbridge peered through it at everyone inside before blowing through it entirely so that she could give detention to everyone inside. I stood off to the side trying to look proud but I could barely muster the strength to stand there. I hated being on this side of everything. Always the bad guy. Hermione looked at me but I wasn't paying any attention. A million emotions flitted across her face in a few seconds. Anger. Hurt. Betrayal. Anger again and so on so forth. In the end she just looked hurt as she stared at me. 'How could you do this? I thought you were getting better. Then you turn around and stab me in the back. I actually believed you had changed even if Harry and Ron though that it was impossible for you to do so. I guess they were right.'_

I was quite shocked to see that Hermione actually thought that I was a good person and had the ability to change. Even when everyone disagreed with her... she still refused to believe that I could never change. She had hope that I would. She thought it was possible and I just shut that down in a matter of seconds. Wow. I really did suck as a person then.

_She had seen Snape heading upstairs and thought it was quite suspicious so she headed up after him. She was pulled aside by Harry who sat underneath the floorboards, watching what was happening above. She watched in horror as I pulled out my wand to kill Dumbledore. I couldn't do it though. I knew that if it ever came down to it... I would never be able to kill a person. Snape had pushed me aside and done it himself as tears streamed down my face. I watched as Dumbledore fell to his death. I felt Hermione flood with relief when she realized that I wasn't the one who killed him. She was angry at Snape for doing it instead but was alot happier that I wasn't the one to do it._

If only she knew how much I really didn't do throughout the school years. There were lots of rumors about lots of things that I did an most of them weren't true. If only she knew. I had a feeling that this time I touched the necklace, would be the last vision I would see out of all of them and it would probably be the most meaningful as well.

_She had found out that one of my friends had planned on killing me because Voldemort told him to. I had betrayed Voldemort and he was not too pleased when he found out. My friend tried to kill me but when Hermione found out she begged Harry and Ron to help. They both seemed a bit hesitant but she reminded them of the people they were and they decided to help. She was extremely relieved to see that I had been saved and was happy for me when my parents also betrayed Voldemort to come find me in the middle of the war. She didn't blame me for Fred's death but was still really sad about it but the one feeling that stands out was her fear. She wasn't afraid of the war, or losing her life. She wasn't afraid of Voldemort or the thousands of deaths around her. What she feared was what may have happened to me if my father wasn't the one who found me. She feared what would have happened had I been found by Voldemort instead._

The water had turned cold and was now making me shiver as it ran down my back. I just stared at the necklace in my hands as I thought about that last vision. She knew that I didn't kill Fred and even though no one believed her she still thought I was able to change. And I did. But what shocked me the most was her fear over me. Not of me but for me. It was heart warming. 

I shook my head to rid myself of the thoughts. I would think about it later, when I was warmer. I got out and prepared for bed, grabbing the necklace as I walked out. Once I got into the room I knelt on one knee in front of Hermione.

"Eww are you proposing?" she asked scrunching her nose. 

"Ha ha very funny Hermione. No."I said. I pulled out the necklace and laughed as Ron gasped and ran off. He didn't see the necklace in my hands though which made this even funnier.

Me and Hermione began laughing. After we finally stopped though, I showed her the necklace. "I believe this belongs to you." I said. Her eyes widened in shock.

"Where did you find it? I thought that I had lost it and was so upset." she asked.

 "Near the shower drain. It must have fallen off." I said. "Well turn around." I said.

"What for?" she asked suspiciously.

 "Just do it."

Hesitantly she turned around and I put the necklace on her.

 "Thank you." 

 I nodded towards  her and smiled. We both crawled into bed finally relaxing.

"One more thing." she said.

 "What?" She turned on the bedside lamp and smiled wickedly. She pulled something out from behind her and her smile grew wider. 

"I didn't know you were the type to wear Jewelry." she said.


	7. Chapter 7: Necklace

"I didn't know you were the type to wear jewelry."

"Uh... Um... I-I can... uh..." I struggled. I didn't know why it was so hard to tell her why I had it. Instead I blurted out a question.

"How did you find it?"

"We were playing spin the bottle while you were in the shower. Ginny spun it and it landed on me. She decides that I should go through your bag and show them the first thing that I picked up, without looking."

"Please tell me you didn't show them?" I asked. I really didn't want them to know about that. Hermione, I was okay with. Wait. Hermione I was okay with? When did that happen? Never mind.

"Of course not." she chuckled, shaking her head. I sighed in relief because that would have been very embarrassing. "It was the first thing that I picked though. I was going to show them but then I realized there was probably a good reason as to why no one knew about it so I slipped it into my jacket sleeve and showed them something else." 

"What did you show them?" 

"Just some random book. At least that's what they think but it is a good book. Romeo and Juliet." she sighed.

"Thanks for not showing them the necklace." I whispered. She just nodded and smiled. "Why aren't you giving me the necklace?" I asked.

I reached for it but she yanked it just out of reach. I grabbed at hers and yanked it off. She gasped and tried in vain to grab it. "Nuh-uh. Not until you give me mine back."

"I won't give your's back unless I get mine." 

I laid down and refused to get up until I got the necklace and still wouldn't give hers back.

"How am I supposed to get you off of this bed?" she asked. I just raised and eyebrow and chuckled. 

"You'll have to figure it out." She grabbed some of my things and threw them around and when that didn't work she tried forcing me off but I still wouldn't budge. I just chuckled as she continued to find a way to get me off.

Finally she grabbed a candy, I really do enjoy, and taunted me with it which did distract me for a bit. I shook my head and came back to my senses. People have used the candy tactic on me one too many times for me to fall for it again. 

Seeing as I wouldn't budge she grabbed the necklace and walked over to the toilet. "I will flush it." 

"Don't you dare." I said. I bolted upright and grabbed her waist, pulling her back into the bed. She landed on top of me and I let out a huge oompf. Then she rolled over, laughing.

"Fine at the same time. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

We both held out parts of our necklace and grabbed ours. An image of burning light and a few figures flashed across my vision. I gasped as I pulled my hand back to see that Hermione did too. "Did you see?" I asked.

"So I'm not the only one." 

"What was that?" I asked.

"I don't know."

"Do you want to find out?" I asked. She nodded and carefully, we both held onto both necklaces.

_My mom and some other woman, who I guessed was someone related to Hermione, sat and talked on a bench in the winter as the snow fell. "I am so happy. Lucius is finally getting along with Draco. It's been a long time since that has happened." mom said._

_"I know. It's cute actually. And Hermione... oh god, her parents don't know that she's a witch yet but she is already extremely talented." the other woman said._

_"Oh Rose, look at how cute they are together. They are so cute." mom said. Both women watched as Hermione and I ran around throwing snowballs at each other as Lucius tried to avoid getting run over by little children._

I heard Hermione gasp. I didn't blame her for it either. Who knew that our families were actually very close once.

_The scene changed and now we were watching as Rose and mom talked about us in our first year of Hogwarts. We were so smart and all that jazz. It still struck me as odd that they were talking about us like we were still close. Maybe they were but Hermione and I both had forgotten we had known each other before then._

_Then the scene changed again. McGonagall and Dumbledore discussing what the sorting hat had said. "I know what it had said Albus but what does it mean?" McGonagall asked._

_"I'm sorry could you repeat what it said, my memory isn't as clear as it used to be." Albus asked._

_"It said: Doomed as Foes from the start, close they are at heart,the smart one and the second, will be the last ones beckoned, favorites they shall be, and bet for them, you'll win, you'll see, eight years at Hogwarts and then they'll realize, their feelings did nothing but rise."_     _  
_

_"Ah... That is quite strange. The hat never says anything like that. In a prophecy no less."_

_"That's what I've been trying to figure out." McGonagall said. They both continued walking and strode in silence before McGonagall realized something._

_"It said eight years at Hogwarts... students only serve a seven year term." she said._

_"Hmmm." Dumbledore hummed, deep in thought. "Perhaps it could me..." he started but was cut off by McGonagall telling him to be quite._

_They silently listened into the conversation between Rose and mom and heard that it was about Hermione and I. Then suddenly the sorting hat appeared before them and said, "It's them... you'll see." Then it disappeared, leaving a very stunned couple of teachers behind._

_After shaking her head McGonagall looked at Dumbledore doubtfully. "I highly doubt that the hat could be implying that Hermione and Draco would make a perfect couple." she whispered._

_"Maybe they could be, I mean they were immediately enemies, her being muggle born and him being pureblood. She was a Gryffindor and he was a Slytherin. She was friends with Harry and Ron and he despised them. He was friends with Crabbe and Goyle and she despised them. They literally were doomed as foes since they met. But Hermione was the smartest student in school and Draco was the second."_

_"Oh and don't get me started on how they react when the other walks in. They always smile when the other walks in and frowns when the look upset. They effect each other's moods greatly without trying to or even knowing that they are. They always play it off in some way though as though nothing was wrong or they were smiling about a joke or something like that." McGonagall said._

_"I suppose the sorting hat may be right. Should there ever be a bet, we will bet that they will get together eventually." Dumbledore said and McGonagall nodded in agreement._

_They made a bet and sure enough all of the other teachers disagreed with them. No one believed we would ever get together  but Dumbledore and McGonagall knew they would win._

_Suddenly they were both at the jewelry shop. Dumbledore asked why they were there and McGonagall just simply stated that she wanted to give something to Rose and Narcissa. She had the Jeweler make a Silver necklace with a few diamonds above the silver curl holding a ruby heart. This one was for Narcissa. Then she asked the Jeweler to make a necklace exactly the same to the previous but make it a gold necklace with an emerald instead. This one would go to Rose._

  _She and Dumbledore met Narcissa and Rose and the two women were both really surprised to find them there. When Narcissa asked why they were receiving these necklaces McGonagall replied. " Well your children or family members, Draco and Hermione, are the brightest kids in the whole school and they are only first years. We decided that the people closest to them, the magical side of them, should get a reward. If it wasn't for you two then they wouldn't be up there in the rankings."_

_Narcissa and Rose took the necklaces and decided to give them to them. It was all them for getting those rankings so they deserved it. Neither of them told them that they came from Dumbledore and McGonagall._

_Soon afterwards Lucius became a Death Eater and Narcissa realized it was the perfect time to give it to Draco. She knew he would take it then. And he did. Rose immediately gave it to Hermione and died the same day Hermione promised to never take it off, which so happened to be the same day Draco received his necklace._

 Hermione and I pulled our hands back and stared at each other for a long time. 

"That was uh... quite a trip. And history." I mumbled.

"Yeah... it was." she replied. There was something in her eyes but I couldn't place what it was. I suddenly wondered if she saw flashes like I did when I picked up her necklace. And if so... what did she see?

"Remind me that I wanted to ask you something when I wake up." we both said. Then we both started laughing because of our random sync all of a sudden. It was quite funny.

Once we settled down, I turned off the light.

"Goodnight Draco." she said before she started snoring lightly.

"Goodnight Hermione." I whispered.

Then I laid back, closed my eyes, and drifted to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8: Dreams or Nightmares. It's Up To You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: This whole chapter is a dream. It is from Draco's perspective.

_The summer breeze blew her hair to the side and all I could think about was how happy I was that I had her for a sister. I really loved her and we always had fun together. Right now we were out back playing with our brooms which we just learned how to fly a few months ago._

_She was a pro. I smiled as I watched her flying around thinking about how lucky we were to have her._

_"Draco, Nathalia, come inside. The Wood family has arrived." mom yelled._

_Nathalia squealed as she landed. The Wood family was a family of Muggles and they were the most amazing people ever. They came over quite often because they were great friends with my mom._

_We usually played games and had parties when they were around. They were always showing us new Muggle things and we were always showing them magic tricks. It was quite fun to be honest._

_Nathalia and I ran into the house and hugged Mrs. Wood. I always loved seeing her because she was always so kind._

_"It's nice to see you too Malfoy." she chuckled._

_Nathalia pouted because she didn't get acknowledged._

_"You too Nathalia." Mr. Wood said coming in._

_Nathalia's face brightened up and she hugged him. He chuckled and we all sat down around the fire. They recounted their trip and showed us this thing called a T.V._

_It was quite an interesting contraption. If we wanted to see moving pictures we could just talk to the ones hanging on the wall. When they left the frame though, they usually just ended up in the next one. The people on the screen who moved out of frame were nowhere to be found._

_I looked around for the little cowboy who had just left because I was determined to meet him. Mrs. Wood chuckled._

_"He's so cute isn't he?"_

_"Yeah he is."_

_"Draco darling, the person isn't actually here. It is a moving picture but not quite like the ones your used to. They actually walk out of the camera view and stay out of view." she explianed._

_Mr. Wood chuckled at my confused face._

_"They are people just saying lines that they are supposed to while being recorded. Remember me telling you about the video?" he asked._

_I nodded and they both smiled. "So they are just caught on video but when they leave the video frame they are just on the ground?" I asked trying to get it._

_"Yeah." Mrs. Wood said finally giving up on describing it to me._

_I chuckled as my mom brought out a board game that the Wood's had showed us how to play. It was one of the only games we had._

_They set up the pieces and I immediately called Mr. Mustard._

_"You're always Mustard. Don't you want to be someone new for once?" my dad asked. I shook my head and everyone just started laughing. We were playing the game and for the first time ever with my family, I was winning._

_Suddenly there was a loud crack and green light flashed around the room. My parent's eyes widened in horror. "Hide!" my mom whisper shouted to the Wood's. They hid in the closet behind the couch and my mom enchanted the door to look like a wall._

_Nathalia hid under the couch and I helped my parent's hide the game set under the other one. No one really liked Muggles right now and if we were caught playing Muggle games not only would we be branded as freaks but we would also be in trouble because there was only one way a Muggle game would be here and that's if one brought it themselves._

_I didn't have time to hide after hiding the game because after I stood up straight the door burst wide open. A man came strolling in and noticed the three of us. Since Nathalia and the others were hiding he only noticed the three of us so we were in trouble one way or another._

_"I am here to have a talk." he said._

_"And what is it that you possibly need to discuss by breaking in?" dad asked harshly._

_"Your lives. I am going to take over one way or another and you either join me and live great lives, or die." the man said._

_I couldn't see him because the lightning continued to flash behind him so all I saw was a shadow of a figure._

_"We will not stand to watch you take over a world loved by everyone here." my dad shouted._

_"Is that so?" the man asked. My dad continued to stand defiantly but with a wave of the man's wand I suddenly found myself standing next to him with the wand pointed at my throat. It took a second for my parents to realize what happened but my mom had to hold my dad back._

_"Now..." the man said._

_My mom looked between me and the man and I understood what she was going to do. 'Please don't.' I mouthed. I knew if this man, whoever he was, took over, then we wouldn't be allowed to see the Wood family anymore._

_She looked desperate and troubled but I already knew the choice she was going to make. I was just dreading it._

_When she didn't answer the man muttered something and pain flared through my body. It was the worst pain I have ever felt. I tumbled to the floor writhing in agony as I screamed. Tears streamed down my mother's face._

_The pain wasn't gone but I knew that he stopped the spell. He still had his wand aimed at me. "You will join me or your son will die." the man said._

_I looked under the couch and saw my sister staring at me with tears in her eyes. 'It'll be okay.' I mouthed. She shook her head but stayed under the couch._

_"Fine!" my mom yelled. The man smiled, pleased with his work, before he swiftly turned and disappeared._

_My mom fell to her knees as my dad rushed forward to me. "Son are you okay?" he asked._

_I continued to shake and Nathalia closed the front door. The Wood's came out of their hiding spot and stared in horror at the scene before them._

_"I'm sorry you had to see that." My dad whispered._

_"Nathalia, sweetie listen to me. You need to go with the Wood family. They will take care of you." My mom said. Nathalia was shaking her head violently._

_"I know you don't want to but whoever that man was, he didn't see you. You need to go or he will kill you. Please." she whispered. She hugged Nathalia tightly and whispered I love you._

_The Wood's family stood by the fireplace as they prepared to be flooed home._

_I spoke up right before Nathalia left with them. "I will visit as much as possible but in case I can't come please, forget about me. Forget about the Malfoy family. You are a Wood now. You don't know anything of the wizarding world, no broomstick flying, snowball fights with us. No magic. Please forget." I whispered. I hugged her tightly as I cried. "I love you."_

_Then she stepped into the floo and was gone in an instant. Me and my parents just hugged each other tightly and cried. That was when Voldemort ruined my life._


	9. Chapter 9: What Happened?

(Hermione's POV)

 

I lied awake thinking about everything I just discovered. I just couldn't believe Draco and I used to be friends. I wondered what happened. Why did it change?

I mean I obviously knew he wouldn't recognize me all those years later, but I knew that he and his family were okay with muggles and muggle-borns because they were hanging out with me. So if they were okay with it, then why was I constantly picked on for being muggle-born.

I didn't want to think about it anymore though, so I just stared at the ceiling. Then an odd thought occurred to me. I grabbed my necklace to see what would happen but nothing did. I frowned, thinking about why nothing happened. Then I reached for Draco's again, and was once again swept away by a collage of images.

I pulled my hand back and frowned again. Why does it work when I touch his but not mine? Maybe it only works when someone else touches it. But then why was it so focused on him and his reactions to me? And why did we see the both of us when we both touched them at the same time?

I was broken out of my thoughts when there was a sudden thrashing next to me. Draco was tossing and turning as well as whimpering. I tried to wake him but it didn't do any good. Then just as suddenly as it came, the thrashing stopped.

I looked at him bewildered as tears started streaming down his face. Well, now was as good a time as any to wake him up.

After a lot of shaking and groaning, I finally managed to wake him up. He was still crying and I could tell that it wasn't just a bad dream. I pulled him into a hug and let him cry into my shoulder.

"It's okay. It was just a dream. Everything is okay." I whispered. He shook his head and I rested my head on his and ran my fingers through his hair as I continued to whisper to him. After an hour or so, he finally seemed to calm down enough to talk.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I- I don't want to talk about it." he mumbled. His expression was full of pain and I wracked my brain to find where I had seen that face before.

"Draco..." I sighed. I didn't know what to say. "I'm not going to make you say anything but I am here for you. I trust that you know what you're doing and it's okay if you want to keep it from me just know, I will always be  here for you." I whispered.

I have no idea where that came from. It just sort of... came out.

He looked up at me and his eyes began filling with tears. He took a deep breath and let out a long sigh before explaining.

"My sister and I were messing around on our brooms. She is a much better flier than I am. The Muggle family we were friends with came by for a visit. We were great friends with them but we had to keep it more or less secret because there were some who would hurt us or them should they have found out. They were showing us what a T.V. was and we were playing Clue, amazing game might I add. There was a loud crack and green light. They hid and so did my sister. I helped my parents hide the game and T.V. because we didn't know who it was. I didn't know at the time who it was, but Voldemort stood there threatening us. My parents disagreed with him and only after he used the Cruciatous curse on me and threatened to kill me, did my parents join his side. We departed with my sister in a long, sad goodbye and I would meet her every once in a while and teach her magic." 

"Draco... I am so sorry. I didn't know."

"Of course you didn't. How could you have known?" he chuckled slightly. I didn't know what to do. Just then someone walked inside and hugged him.

"And do you remember what you said to me?" she asked. He nodded slightly and I sat there dumbfounded.

How could I have missed this? There was no way. I mean... I have known... but... ugh.

I looked between the two trying to figure out where I had screwed up. Then I realized, I jumped to conclusions. I thought they had been together before but they hadn't even though they had known each other.

The pieces began falling into place leaving a very startling picture behind.

"Wait you are... that's how... but I thought... oh." I stuttered. I couldn't find the words to say so instead I just sat there as the two of them laughed, just now realizing they both had the same grey eyes and platinum blonde hair.

Wow. I feel like an idiot. They look so similar I can't believe I hadn't noticed before.

My long time rival and my best friend. Nathalia Wood wasn't truly a Wood. 

She was a Malfoy. 


	10. Chapter 10: Dawning

(Draco's POV)

 

I watched as realization dawned on Hermione's face. She looked genuinely disappointed at the fact that Nathalia and I were related. I was a little hurt by that I mean I thought things were going smoothly finally. I tried to hide my pain, thinking about other things.

I grimaced, trying to smile, still in pain from the nightmare I just had. Voldemort tortured me. I slightly shook the thought away.That was not the kind of thought that I meant to distract me.

Hermione was struggling to speak, and Nathalia sat next to her.

"How could I be so stupid?" she decided.

"You're not."

"Yes I am. How could I not know that you two were related. I automatically assumed that you were ex's."

I choked at hearing that. "Wait. Me and her... uh no way in hell. Gross."

"Thanks for the vote in self-confidence. Nice to know that's how you feel." Nathalia said faking sadness.

I sat there silently as the two girls spoke to one another. I couldn't help but think if Nathalia's necklace and Hermione's would do the same thing as hers and mine did. "You okay Mal...uh Draco?" Hermione asked.

"Huh...oh yeah. Just thinking."

"About...?"

"Our necklaces."

Hermione stopped talking at that. "What?" she asked.

"What are you two talking about? Why do you both look pale and freaked out? What's going on?" Nathalia asked.

"You saw too didn't you?" we both asked. I chuckled and nodded and she smiled shyly.

"All of it?" I asked. She just nodded.

"Same here."

"Can someone just tell me what the hell is going on?" Nathalia asked now shouting.

I eyed Hermione and she nodded. Taking a deep breath I began to explain.

"Hermione and I have very similar necklaces. I was in the shower when I found hers and when I picked it up... I saw flashbacks to our years before but they were from her point of view. When she touched mine it did the same but from my point of view." I explained.

"What did you see?" she asked.

"I saw how Draco felt about everything cruel that he did in his life." Hermione said. I had a feeling she wasn't quite ready to know what I saw.

"Wait... cruel?"

"I had to. If I wasn't then the only good... things in my life would be killed and I didn't want that to happen. I wasn't able to do everything that I was supposed to. Snape intervened a lot and helped me through it."

Nathalia just nodded even though she still looked really shocked about everything.

"I saw how Hermione felt when I had hurt her. I saw how she felt when I didn't and was actually kind. I saw how she felt when I... wait no I didn't but I could only imagine. I saw how she felt after she punched me in the face. All those conflicting emotions throughout the years." I said.

"Wait you punched Draco in the face?" Nathalia asked.

"He was being an ass so I hit him because of it." she said blushing slightly.

Nathalia looked at her and her eyes widened. "Oh my god we were right!" she squealed.

"About what?" I asked.

"You two. Look I gotta go but I'll talk to you guys tomorrow morning."

I nodded and watched as she left and started thinking. Out of all the things that I had seen about Hermione... how come none of them were about when she found me crying in sixth year? I saw how she felt when I was being an ass and everything but what about in my most vulnerable moment? I wondered why.

"Now what are you thinking about?"

"That night by the lake." I mumbled.

"Why?"

"I was just wondering why that wasn't an image that I saw when I touched the necklace." I said.

"That is a bit strange isn't it. I mean I now know why you were crying but it is kind of weird that neither of us saw that particular scene. It was.... new." she decided. I nodded and stared at her as she stared back at me. Then both of us perked up and grabbed one another's necklaces. It seemed as though we had the same idea.

_Tears landed on the ground as I stared from the tree. It was a silent night and no one was about. I decided it would be the perfect time to get away from my task. I had to kill Dumbledore but I didn't think I could do it. The only reason I kept going was because I knew that Harry was working out how to rid the world of Voldemort and I knew that once he was gone I would have my sister back. Suddenly there was a cracking as the leaves were being stepped on. I turned my head quickly to find Hermione walking towards the lake._

_She was crying. Why was she crying? Such an amazing girl shouldn't have any reason to cry. Then I remembered Ron. He was dating Lavender right now. No wonder Hermione seemed so upset. I decided to stay in the tree and mind my own business. Before long she would leave and I would finally go back home. So I sat there and continued thinking about the horrid task that I had to do. I couldn't believe that I had to do something like that. Why did we have to agree to this in the first place?_

_I know I was being tortured and threatened to be killed. I knew that my parents wanted to protect me but our lives have only gotten worse from there. I have to hate on people I actually like. I have to do as I am told. I have to kill people who are amazing in my eyes. And worst of all... I lost my sister. All so that I could live. But was it really living?_

_A stray tear slid down my cheek and hit Hermione in the head. She whipped her head around and stared up at me. Then she realized that I was crying. She slowly climbed the tree and I had allowed her for some reason. "This is my spot." I said_

_"No it's mine."_

_"I have been coming out here for years to clear my head."_

_"So have I."_

_"I don't believe you." Now we were yelling at each other._

_"You don't have to but it is true." she mumbled._

_"Why are you crying?" I asked pretending as though I didn't notice Ron's situation._

_"Nothing. What about you?"_

_"If you aren't telling me then I won't tell you."_

Suddenly I was seeing it from Hermione's point of view. I saw what she saw and thought what she thought and I could only assume that she was the same as me.

 _He isn't handsome._ That offended me. _The way his pale skin shone in the moonlight. His full lips his stormy-grey eyes. No Draco Malfoy wasn't Handsome... he was beautiful. Gorgeous. Anything but Handsome because it is too kind a word to describe him. "Why are you crying?" Hermione asked again._

_"I have been assigned a task and if I don't follow through with it... it could ruin my relationship with everyone I care about." I whispered._

_"It'll be okay. You can find away to win in every way. You can figure out a way to fix this. I know you can. You are smart." she whispered back._

_I shook my head. "You don't understand. If I don't do this, then I failed everyone and it could literally ruin their lives."_

_She grabbed my chin and pulled it towards her so that I was forced to look at her. "Draco... it'll be okay. I promise. Whatever it is... you'll get around it. I know that."_

_I pulled away so that I didn't have to see her. "What is the cause of you being out here?" It was her turn to look away._

_"I'm not good enough for the man I thought I loved. He hurts me in multiple ways and I just hate how life is always fighting against you. No matter what I do I just can't seem to get him to realize that I'm not the same bossy know-it-all that he used to know. Who he met in first year. He just doesn't care. And it breaks me." Hermione whispered._

_I turned her face towards me. "Then he doesn't know what he's missing out on. He doesn't know what he left behind." I whispered quieter._ Hermione gasped and I remembered what I was thinking in that moment. If I had been in her place I would have gasped as well.

_"How could you say that? You have always hated me." she asked._

_"Because I know that he is missing out on the best opportunity. He just let you pass by and it's his fault when he realizes that." I whispered. She kept leaning in and so did I. Our lips connected in a fiery passionate kiss._ I was back to my own point of view. _A shiver ran down my body and I realized that this is what I had been waiting for my whole life. I finally found the person that I wanted but alas, I could never have her. After I do what I have to, it will ruin whatever this is. I hated how life was so evil and tore everything away from me._

_We pulled away, Hermione blushing, and me looking away so that I didn't have to see her. I thought she would be disgusted with what just happened. We continued talking about the most random things until the sky turned bright shades of yellow, orange and pink. The sun was rising and we had to get back to our dorms before we got caught. All throughout the next day I was thinking about her lips on mine and how wonderful that feeling had been but with Snape, Crabbe, and Goyle watching my every move I had to act as if that amazing night had never happened. I had to act as though I still hated the girl that I realized I had the very opposite feelings about._

_Yet again Voldemort ruined my life._

I pulled my hand off of the necklace and stared at her. "So that's what you thought that night. I never would have guessed." I mumbled. Hermione was blushing again and I chuckled. "It's okay. I don't mind. If I saw your thoughts I can only assume you saw mine and mine were very similar."

"Is that really what you felt?" I just nodded shyly. I didn't know what to think at the moment. Everything just seemed so different than we both thought it was. I couldn't believe that Hermione used to think that way of me. It made me quite happy. 


	11. Chapter 11: October 5th

(Draco's POV)

 

It has been months since school has started and in all of our time not once has our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher showed up. Professor McGonagall has been grading our assignments recently and I am now wondering more than ever, who the new teacher is.

Why hasn't he showed up yet? It's kind of odd. 

I thought about these things as I woke up that morning. I was tired and restless. It was a Saturday and we weren't going to have a trip to Hogsmeade this weekend. I had no clue what I was supposed to do.

I clumsily stumbled down the stairs and made my way into the kitchen. Hermione smiled and my stomach twisted. Nothing has happened between the two of us and now I have three girls shipping us... whatever that means. 

No matter how much I deny it, I know that I truly began to care for her. I didn't understand why this was happening either. 

"Good morning Draco."

"Morning."

"What are you planning on doing today? It is October after all." she asked. Then I suddenly remembered something and my eyes widened with realization.

"Today isn't the fifth by any chance... is it?" 

"I think it is."

"Great. I do have plans today after all."

"Oh... you got a letter this morning from your mother." she said holding it out. I gratefully took it and quickly opened it to reveal what was inside.

 

Dear Draco,

Just a reminder that today is your father's trial. I do hope that you'll be there. I also did receive your letter about the Marriage Law. Do bring your soulmate. I would like to meet her. The trial is at the Ministry of Magic, obviously, and will will be held at  5 sharp. Don't be late.

Love,

Mom.

 

Great. Now I have to watch as my dad either gets killed or gets a chance, he doesn't deserve either. I have to sit there with my mom and watch since I have to be there. I have to bring Hermione who is a Muggle-born. And I'll have to deal with my dad's views on her if he is freed. This will be one hell of a trip.

"Hermione could you come here a sec?"

"What is it?"

"This has to be kept a secret until after the trial so please don't tell anyone." I whispered. She stared at me but must have noticed that I was being serious. I handed her the letter and she read over it.

"I have to be there for your father's trial? Why?" she asked confused.

"My mom wants to meet who my soulmate is. Beware though my father will either be given a second chance or killed. If he is given a second chance, there is a possibility that he will still be an asshole to you whether you'll be family or not." 

"Thanks for the heads up." she groaned.

A few seconds later McGonagall walked into the kitchen and stated that we were going to have a Halloween dance this year and that Hermione and I were to set up the decorations. I nodded and watched as she left and we spent all day coming up with decorations before finally deciding on one.

The tables were all combined into one since for the first time students were actually allowed to go home for the week. There was one long table with chairs for everyone. Trees were on the walls and hung over the tables where large platters of food sat. Leaves fell from the branches but would disappear before hitting the floor. 

It wasn't necessarily Halloween as much as fall but that was just for the feast.

The party itself had a much different look. We had an enchantment spell that allowed the skeletons to play music in the back corner and there was fog all around the room. The ghosts wandered about doing there own thing and there would be random rats and bugs everywhere. The room would only be lit by a the light of the candles and there was a fake, but realistic, person hanging from the ceiling with fake blood dripping down into random puddles along the dance floor.

That's how we imagined the party to look. It was quite a fascinating idea really and I found myself getting excited already for it.

Five O'clock rolled around and I breathed in deeply as Hermione and I prepared to Floo ourselves to my mansion. I know Hermione didn't like that place and I could understand why. Just last year my Aunt Bellatrix had tortured her and carved the word Mudblood into her skin. I hadn't thought it fair but I knew if I were to do anything not only would I get myself killed but Hermione and my parents as well.

I grabbed her hand and the next thing I knew we were standing on the front lawn. Why we were there I had no idea. A moment later my mom appeared and gasped in surprise.

"Is that... did she... oh god I am so sorry." she said to Hermione.

"It's fine. It was in the past and now I understand the reason why you were doing the things that you were."

"We really don't hate Muggle-borns but he held everything against us. I can't apologize enough for what we did to you that night."

"Seriously... it's fine. Now can we please stop talking about this and just go to the trial?"

"Oh yes. My apologies."

I sighed. This was going to be a long night. We appeared right before the doors to where the trial was to be held and I held my breath. I was nervous about all of this. I didn't know what to think at this moment.

Hermione grabbed my hand and squeezed it as if to say everything was going to be okay. She seemed as though she knew how I felt but how could she her life was perfect. 

She seemed to read my thoughts because she leaned over and whispered an explanation.

"Before the war I obliviated my parents so that if I never came back they wouldn't know how much that would hurt because they wouldn't have known me. After the war was over I found them in Australia and explained to them what had happened. They had a choice. If they believed me I would have my parents back and I could live with them happily. If they didn't then I would lose them forever. They would have forgotten that they ever knew me or met me even there. I went to the burrow since I had nowhere else to go."

I looked at her sadly. That was a horrible way to do it. She did it to protect them and then lost them in the end. They were good people and so was she. She didn't deserve that fate.

"But this isn't about my family. It's about yours. Let's see how this trial goes."

I nodded but didn't say anything. Finally my father appeared as did all of the judges and everyone else who came to watch. I blanked out most of the time because I didn't want to know what happened since I already knew.

I was snapped out of it when someone yelled I don't believe you.

"It's true... I swear it." he yelled.

"As if. Is there anyone here who could prove that?" the judge asked. Hermione, Nathalia, mom, the Wood family, and I all stood up. My father stared at Hermione as if she was the strangest thing he had ever seen.

"Ms. Granger... how could you possibly know of the reason as to why he did the deeds that he has?" the judge asked.

"Because I have seen it."

"Proof?"

"If only there was a way you could see what I saw." she said. I knew where she was going with this. 

"Did you bring it?" I asked quietly and she nodded.

"I knew it might be needed. You?"

I nodded in return. A moment later we were holding onto each other's necklaces and I was hoping that it would show what I wanted it to. That night. Lucky for us that's exactly what it did.

Everyone in the room gasped as they watched how it happened and then gasped again once they saw what actually happened that night.

"Those are some extraordinary necklaces. How did you come across it?" the judge asked.

"Dumbledore and McGonagall gave them to our relatives in our first year as a gift for raising such bright students." we both said.

"Interesting. And you Nathalia are a Malfoy?" 

"I am sir."

"Interesting as well. It seems that you Mr. Malfoy are innocent. Any objections?" 

No one made a move because they had all seen what had just played out before them. 

"Case dismissed." he said. Everyone got up and left. Some extremely happy others not so much. 

I ran down to my father and gave him a hug. Everyone else who was with us came as well.

"Ms. Granger why are you here?" he asked.

"Did you not get notified?"

"No."

"There was a Marriage Law passed at school and I got paired with Hermione." I explained.

"Ah well... not the worst option. I gladly invite you to our family." he said smiling. Hermione and I stared at him in wonder. We had both expected him to say something snarky but he just sat there, genuinely smiling.

"Thank you Mr. Malfoy. I am glad that you have gotten another chance."

"As am I."

**NOTE: This is what the feast looked looked like because I know it was a bad explanation.**


	12. Chapter 12: Surprise, Surprise

(Hermione's POV)

 

_"Please! You have to listen to me. I can't lose you too. I have already lost so much." I begged. They sat on the couch and listened to what I had to say. When I was finished they both just stared at me in wonder._

_"How?" she asked._

_"I know it's a lot but please just try... I'll give you time and meet you back here a few months from now and then I'll know."_

_She nodded and I hugged them before apparating to the Burrow. I had nowhere else to stay right now. I was terrified of what was going to happen to all of us but I tried pushing that thought away._

_Months later I showed up again and looked for them in the store. I tripped over a purse and stumbled into a couple. "I'm so sorry." I whispered staring down at the child in the cart._

_"It's okay dear." a woman said and my head shot up. I stared at the woman in front of her. "My name is Jean... what's yours?" she asked._

_"Jane." I replied simply. "I'm sorry. I have to be going." I whispered. I stumbled away with tears in my eyes and my heart breaking. That spell was supposed to keep the thought of a child from crossing their minds. It wasn't supposed to be this way. I heard her cooing to the little girl who's name had also been Hermione._

_They didn't remember me. I stumbled into the street and tripped onto the sidewalk on the other side. I sat there on my knees as a truck barreled by coating me in mud and I sat there with tears streaming down my face. I just lost my parents._

I sat up quickly and wiped the tears away. I couldn't stop crying though so I quietly got out of bed and walked downstairs. I saw on the window sill and stared out the window at the grounds below me. Tears still streamed down my face and the sobs wouldn't stop.

It was my fault. It was all my fault. If I hadn't been so stupid I wouldn't have lost everything that I cared about. My life was shattering and there was nothing I could do to stop it. My body shook as I continued crying and thinking so lowly of myself.

I'm Hermione Granger. Everybody expected such great things out of me but I am too scared to fly, too lonely to smile, and too stupid to do a simple spell. 

I rocked back and forth, hugging my knees to my chest when I thought I heard something. I sniffled and tried to hold back the other tears as I looked around. A broken sob escaped my throat and I looked back out the window.

Then I felt something warm wrap around me. I snuggled into it feeling safe in their arms. I didn't even know who it was but in that moment I didn't care. They picked me up and carried me over to the couch. 

I continued to cry into their chest, not daring to look up. I was afraid of what I might see if I did so I never looked. I just sat there and cried until I had no tears left to fall. I sat there sniffling and before I knew it I had fallen asleep.

I awoke the next morning with a blanket draped over me and saw a person lying on the other couch. I gingerly stood up and shook the person awake. They sat up, looking worried and scanned me over with their eyes.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine. Thank you. I'm sorry about all of that." I apologized embarrassed.

"Don't be. Everyone has their moments."

I nodded and sat down next to him, handing him the blanket. We began talking about little things so that it didn't get awkward. A few minutes later Ginny walked downstairs, squealed and ran back up.

"We should probably get going before we have a horde of people asking questions." I mumbled. We  both quickly changed and headed down to the Great Hall. It was the first time since we got here that we were at our tables.

Professor McGonagall approached the pedestal and waited for us all to be quiet. Once everyone had stopped talking she beamed and looked around. "At last our Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher is here at Hogwarts. I will not tell you who it is because it is to be a surprise. Enjoy your days." she said and with a flick of her wrist, food appeared all over the tables.

After breakfast we headed down to potions. Draco and I sat together and grabbed the ingredients to finish our potions. We had started the Amortentia potion a few days ago and today was when the concoction should be finished.

We quickly added the last few ingredients and bottled our potion. I realized then that we finished early and I knew that we were going to have to stay a little while longer today.

"Are you sure your okay?" Draco asked me after staring at me for a while. I hadn't really noticed until just now because I was back in my own depressed little world. I shook my head and he looked at me sadly. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I shook my head again and he nodded in understanding. The silence soon became unbearable and I decided to tell him. "Last night I was having a nightmare. One about my parents. I told you that I had to obliviate them so they wouldn't be hurt. Well when I visited them in Australia the second time... the time they should have made their decision.... they had a child. The spell was supposed to keep those thoughts and desires away from them but I failed. They had forgotten who I was and had another child and I sat realizing... I screwed everything up. I lost my friends, my home, and now the only good thing I had left... my family." I whispered.

He looked like he wanted to hug me but just then Slughorn asked for our attention. He had told us that we had done very well in our potions and that we needed to sniff and write down the scents we smelled from the potion.

I grabbed a parchment and some ink and gingerly lifted the potion to my nose. It smelled of freshly cut grass, new parchment, spearmint gum, and something else. I couldn't place what that smell was but I knew that I had smelled it before. I quite liked whatever it was though.

I looked over to Draco and saw him blushing as he quickly wrote down what he smelled. Then we both walked up to the teacher to turn in our parchment. He winked at the both of us before dismissing us. We both hurried out of the classroom, glad to be out of there.

"What was that all about?" I asked.

"What was what about?"

"He winked at us. Does he know something we don't know?"

"I have no idea." he lied.

"I know your lying... what did you smell?"

"Uh... oh hey look we're at Defense Against The Dark Arts. I wonder who the new teacher is, don't you?" he asked. I knew he was trying to avoid the subject so I just decided to drop it. He obviously didn't want to talk about it.

"I do wonder who it is." I said realizing that this was literally the first time that our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was going to be here. We all walked up to the door and on it there was a note that said that we had to sit with our soulmate in that class and if they weren't there then we had to stand at the front of the class and wait.

Ironically everyone had everyone was here. Draco and I sat in the back because I had a feeling we both knew that neither of us would like the teacher very much. We sat there and talked about the little things like favorite colors and animals. It turns out Draco's favorite colors are Red, Green, and Blue. In that order. I told him mine was Green, Red, and Blue. In that order.

"Favorite animal?"

"I like Dragons, Snakes, Lions, and Wolves." He replied. "You?"

"Weird. I like the same ones."

We sat and stared at one another for a while. It was kind of strange that we shared similar interests with one another. How could we have not known that within all the years we knew each other?

Just then a man walked in and I saw a flash of platinum blonde hair.My stomach twisted in knots but it wasn't the same as the ones I felt when I saw Draco walk into a room.

The man smiled showing a row of perfect whit teeth. Draco's face fell.

"No. This can't be happening."

"Oh my god. He had been our teacher... but... oh my god." I muttered. Draco's face was pale and he had a look of pure terror on his face.

"And here I thought I would be welcomed at last. Then to find that even my own son isn't happy... what a shame." Lucius said shaking his head but he didn't lose that grin that made me want to punch him.

"O-of course. Father." He whispered.

Then Lucius stalked towards us. "And you must be his soulmate. Never thought I'd see the day where we were brought down from pure-bloods. Oh well. Can't be perfect forever I suppose. She'll have to do."

I just realized that there was no one else in the class. They had all left for some odd reason.

"Don't talk about her like she is less than what she is you... you..." he trailed off. I admired Draco's efforts. I felt a tingling feeling when he stood up for me but I knew that he couldn't stand up against his father.

"She is and we all know it." Lucius snarled.

"She is just as magical as you or I and even more so since she has to produce her own magic. She is special and kind and smart and you'd do best to not meddle with it. Or have you forgotten that Voldemort is gone?" Draco stood up as he began to yell.

A loud slapping sound resonated around the room.  Other than that it was silent. Draco's head was bent to the side and stayed there.

"He is gone and I have the right to say as I feel. You have no power over me kid. Or have you forgotten that I'm your father?" he snarled. 

Lucius then turned on his heel and stalked back to his desk. Draco turned toward the front of the class holding his cheek. I don't know what made me do it but I grabbed his hand and squeezed it to calm him down. He looked me in the eyes and his face softened. 

"It's going to be okay. You aren't alone with him this time. Everyone is here. I am here for you. Calm down." I whispered. He calmed down and Lucius stared at us with a mix of horror and awe written all over his face.


	13. Chapter 13: Finalities

He looked as though he couldn't decide on whether he wanted to be in awe or disgusted. He decided for the latter. He looked at Draco with hatred written on his face and I realized, that even though they were family... Lucius didn't like Draco at all.

I turned back to Draco as rude thoughts fluttered through my head. He must have read my expression because he silently pleaded for me not to do what I had decided that I was already going to.

I stood up and Lucius turned around. He had a glint in his eye as if seeing a muggle-born standing up and protecting her loved ones was amusing. I hated him even more when he began to smirk at my boldness.

"You are an asshole. There is no reason that you should be hating on Draco. I'm sorry if he's living a perfectly good life and that upsets you but so what. He is your son. You need to stand behind him and support him. You have absolutely no reason to be hating on him." I said.

"Actually I do." I raised an eyebrow waiting to hear this great reason as to why Draco deserves to be hated by his father. Why he deserves to be hit by his father. "You." he stated simply.That caught me off guard. I was shocked at first and couldn't think of anything to say.

"You see. We are a family of Pure-bloods. Everyone in our family is pure-blood. It hasn't been tainted by that and now all of a sudden it will be. Our traditions will be ruined. Everything we believed in will be ruined."

"Actually. Everything you believed in will be ruined. No one else in our long family line believed that muggle-borns weren't meant to be here. They just never fell for them. But they have as much right to be here as we do." Draco said.

Lucius moved forward with his hand raised once again and Draco flinched. I jumped in between them and took the slap to the face. Tears welled up in that eye but I turned foward and refused to let them fall.

"You didn't deserve it." I whispered.

"Pardon me?"

"I said. You didn't deserve it. You seemed like such a nice person before. You loved your family. You loved the muggles. You hated Voldemort. What happened?"

"I may have liked muggles but I assure you that I never approved of them. I hated the fact that we were always together. The only thing I hated more than them was you. I hated you being there with Draco all the time when you were younger because you were a mud-blood. I feared you would ruin him."

"You just proved my point. You didn't deserve it."

"Deserve what?"

"Anything. You didn't deserve your loving wife and children. You didn't deserve the happiness you had. You didn't deserve the position here and you sure as hell didn't deserve to be given a second chance."

"I..."

I cut him off. I wasn't allowing him to finish that sentence.

"You didn't deserve it. You are foul. You aren't worth all the time and effort put into you but then... that's the only reason why you acted out isn't it? The attention. Why else could you be so cruel to your family? Oh that's right because you hated them. I am telling you right now that every second spent on trying to decide your fate. Every second trying to help you. Every single bloody second spent in your presence wasn't worth it. The only good thing that came from you was your children and I am sure as hell glad that they aren't like you."

I glared at him and watched as he fought over many things before anger was the final thing left on his face.

"It's your fault that our family is ruined. It's your fault that things like this happen. Think about it... if there was no such thing as a filthy mud-blood like you... my family never would have split up. I would still be living a happy and normal life with my family. There wouldn't have been a Voldemort. There wouldn't have been a war and you would still be living happily with your parents." he snarled.

That hit me hard. I knew that there was some truth behind his words but Draco squeezed my hand as if to say that I shouldn't listen to him.

"You know what. Maybe it is my fault that things didn't go the way that everyone wanted it too but you know what... Everyone is happy with the way things are now. Families got closer over losses. Couple got together. Good things came out of it. And if it meant sacrificing my happiness for everyone else's I'm glad I did so. So go ahead hate on me. Hate on Draco just remember it isn't me that pushed your family apart. It was the foulness that resided in your messed up heart you bastard!" I yelled.

I was done with this conversation. I was seeing red and in that moment I only knew that I hated this man. I loathed him. His very existence made me pissed. I hadn't realized when he pulled out his wand. "Crucio!" he yelled. I tumbled to the floor and writhed in pain. I wouldn't scream though. Tears fell down my face but I wouldn't allow myself to scream.

I heard Draco yelling stop at the top of his lungs and there was a momentary pause in the pain as his father muttered something. Draco fell to the floor, frozen and had to watch. He couldn't move and I knew that he wouldn't be able to for a while either. Then Lucius turned back to me and continued torturing me. Finally I let loose a scream that tore my throat raw.

Draco jolted and then stood up, grabbing his wand and staring at his father. Then he petrified him and suddenly the pain was gone.

"Oww." Draco muttered. He pulled the necklace away from his chest and there was a dark red mark. I was confused but didn't have time to think about it. In that moment McGonagall came in and gasped. Then everything turned black.

 

(Draco's POV)

 

I rushed over to Hermione and tried to hold back my tears as McGonagall came rushing in. I learned a lot today but the most painful thing was seeing Hermione tortured yet again but I was helpless and unable to do anything about it. McGonagall leviated her and quickly ran to the Hospital wing. Everyone followed her as another teacher came in and collected my father.

Once everyone left, I sat down in a chair with my head in my hands, and cried. I cried because I knew that my father wasn't good news. I cried because I know he hated me and Nathalia. I cried because I knew the only reason why he put up with everything was because he loved my mom. And I cried because I didn't mean to drag the best thing in my life into this mess. My screwed up life wasn't supposed to surface. She wasn't supposed to know how horrible everything was but today she took the brunt of everything.

She stood up for me because she knew I was too scared. She fought even though she was in pain and knew that my father was right about some things. And I cried because she stood up and protected me and in the end she almost died and I had no ability to help.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to find Blaise standing there.

"I'm sorry mate."

I shook my head and got up. I couldn't deal with this. I left the room and grabbed my cloak before heading to the Black Lake. I needed to clear my thoughts. I didn't want to have to deal with all of this right now. It was too painful.

As the sun set I saw a figure walking toward me and I jumped out of the tree to find Blaise yet again. "What do you want?" I asked miserably.

"You need to see her mate. She isn't doing too hot but I know that she'll be fine soon. You need to be there."

I nodded and he helped me to the Hospital Wing. We stopped in front of the door and realized that I couldn't do it. What if she didn't want to see me? Surely she would blame me for this.

I backed up and tried to leave but Blaise wasn't having it. He pushed me forward and I stumbled through the doors. I stared at Hermione and a fresh new wave of tears poured down my cheeks. I fell to my knees by her bedside, holding her hand. I felt as though my lungs had been crushed leaving me no air and no room to breathe. This was all my fault. If I hadn't said anything we wouldn't be here right now.

Tears continued to fall and I didn't care that anyone could see. I didn't care that Harry was watching me right now. All I knew was I was in pain. She was in bad condition because of me and my blasted father and our screwed up family. I wish that she didn't have to be dragged into this.

"Oh god Hermione. I'm so sorry. I was hoping that my messed up life wouldn't come back to hurt you. I knew that no matter what I would be hurt but I didn't want that for you. I care about you too much. I just wish that you could have ended up with someone like Ron. You two seemed happy and you wouldn't be in this position right now. After the requirements for this law are fullfilled... you can do as you please and I won't try to stop you because I care too much and don't want you to end up in a position like this again. I want you to know that my father was lying. None of this is your fault. It's all mine and I am so so so sorry that I had to say something but I couldn't let him talk about you like that. I'm sorry. I love you and I hope that you wake up soon." I said whispering the last part.

I stood up, shaking, and kissed her forehead before turning and trying to leave. I couldn't make it though so Harry and Blaise made me stay. Blaise soon had to leave and it was just Potter and I.

"Did you really mean everything?" he asked.

"I did. Every single word of it."

"Well I know for a fact that Hermione will be by your side. She wouldn't have taken that hit for you otherwise now would she?" he asked.

"I think she would do it for anyone. I don't know how to move on from here but I totally understand if once this whole thing is over, she just wants to leave. I would let her too. She could do whatever she wanted after that and the only thing she would be taking that was truly mine, would be my happiness and love but you know what.... if she's happy then I'm okay with it because such an amazing person deserves it."

A squeal resonated throughout the room and I turned to see Pansy, Nathalia, and Ginny just standing there with the biggest smiles on their faces. Then all three of them turned and ran away leaving me very confused.

"Draco... one word of advice... Hermione is big on trust so don't lie to her."

Then he turned and left, leaving me to my thoughts. Then I slowly drifted off to sleep.


	14. Chapter 14: Awakening

(Hermione's POV)

 

Light flooded the room, blinding me as my eyes slowly opened. I groaned and looked over to my right when I heard a quick noise. Before I even knew what happened I was being wrapped in a giant hug. 

"Draco?" I asked still unsure. I still couldn't see who it was. "Draco... I can't breathe." I gasped. He quickly pushed me away muttering an apology. 

"I'm sorry. Are you okay?" 

"I'm fine. Thanks.... what happened though?"

"Well after you passed out McGonagall rushed you in here and another teacher took my father away. He's going away for good now. Then uh... Blaise forced me to come in here and I crashed." he summed up.

I looked up to see Ginny standing at the door practically squealing. Draco turned to see her as well. "Hello Ginny."

"Hi Draco. Oh goody... you're awake. May I have a word with you... in private?"

Draco nodded and slowly got up. Blaise rushed forward and helped him through the door. I heard him mumbling things. "It's okay mate. Nothing is wrong. See told you she'd be okay."

Once the doors shut behind him Ginny squealed as she ran over. She wrapped me in a tight hug and had the biggest smile on her face. "I am so glad your okay." she whispered.

"I know you are but that isn't the reason why you wanted Draco out of here... so what do you want to say?" I asked not fazed by her hugging me at all.

She smiled again and giggled and I knew that it was going to be good. Well, in her eyes at least which meant it could only be one thing. "Spit it out... what about Draco needs to be said this time?" 

"How did you know it was about Draco?"

"Because you only get excited like this about Draco and I so what is it?"

"Makes sense. Just relax and get comfortable. I don't know how long this might take."

I relaxed and tried to calm my nerves. I waited for her to tell me what happened while I was out. "Well when Blaise pushed him in here Harry had backed up to give him his space. It's safe to say Draco was a wreck. As soon as he saw you, he was crying his heart out. He fell to his knees and grabbed you hand. He apologized over and over again for dragging you into his messed up life. He promised that he would allow you to back out of the Marriage after the Marriage Law thing ended. He said that the only thing you would be taking was his love for you because he would be happy if you were happy with whoever you wished to be with. He kept saying it was his fault that this happened and he wished that he didn't say anything to make this happen. Then he whispered something and I only know what he said because I read his lips."

"W-what did he say?" I was nervous. I didn't know if I wanted to know and this only made it worse. I was scared to know if what he said would hurt me or drastically change me.

"He said something that made me squeal like a little girl. I was so freaking happy and couldn't believe it was finally happening."

"What did he say?"

"He said... I love you and I hope you wake up soon."

I stared at her in shock. There was no way that he could have said something like that. Why would he? Why would he go through all that trouble to tell me that he was sorry for everything that happened? What if I decided that I didn't want to ever talk to him again? Of course that would be impossible but still.

"He didn't really say that did he?"

Harry stepped forward and I felt stupid for not realizing that he was in the room earlier. "He did. I had asked him if he meant it and he said every word of it. When I had told him you'd be on his side he frowned and thought you would do it for anyone and would blame him for getting hurt like that."

"Why would I blame him. He was sticking up for me and I for him. I still would have done it had I hated him but I couldn't let him get hurt... it would make me feel horrible."

"I told him that you were big on trust so he shouldn't lie to you. And then I left."

"That is so sweet but honestly why did he think I would blame him for this. Like I said. Even if I hated him I would jump in to protect him because it's just who I am but I would never do anything like that. I didn't know what to do. I was lost but I knew one thing... I was pissed at Lucius for doing that to him. It was the worst thing ever. I remember yelling at him about how he didn't deserve his second chance. I hated him with all my guts for doing something like that to Draco and seeing him hurt, hurt me too."

Ginny was red in the face and smiling like an idiot.

"What is it Ginny?"

Ginny squealed again and smiled even brighter. "You love him. You love him. Oh my god Hermione you love him."

I smiled slightly and thought about it.

"I suppose I do."

 

 

 


	15. Chapter 15: Halloween Dance

(Hermione's POV)

 

"Please Madam Pomfrey. This is really important to all of us. Please she needs to be there." Ginny begged. Finally Madam Pomfrey gave in. 

"Fine."

Ginny squealed. It was a Saturday and I have been in here for a week. I have been so ridiculously bored all week and I was hoping that I wouldn't end up stuck in here for Halloween. It was only one of my all time favorite holidays.

Ginny grabbed my wrist and hauled me out of bed. She decided that we needed to go get our outfits right now which I agreed with considering we haven't gotten them yet. The next thing I knew I was being dragged into a Halloween store.

The girls were throwing me into all sorts of outfits and I didn't care. My thoughts were focused on someone else at the moment. I grabbed another dress and walked out. Each of the girls squealed and said that this dress was the one.

Then they dragged me back to the school and up the stairs to the Room of Requirement. I had to remind them that we needed to set up the Halloween Party. The girls chuckled and we all ran downstairs and towards the great hall. We set up the fall dinner decorations and waited for everyone to arrive.

Soon the feast began and there was a lot of pumpkin foods. I loved the pie and dug in. We quickly ate and hurried everyone out of the room so that we could prepare the dance. "So what's this thing with you and Draco?" Ginny asked once everyone left.

"No. We are not going there unless I hear everyone else's stories on their couples."

"Fine." they agreed.

"Ron is a pig and I am slowly getting used to it but otherwise he is really nice." Pansy mumbled. I stared at her. "What?"

"Ron is nice?" Ginny and I asked together.

"Yes." I shook my head thinking that it was a weird thought.

"Blaise is a sweetheart but he can talk a lot." Astoria said.

"Theo is hilarious. He doesn't stop joking and it's so much easier to get through the day." Nathalia squealed.

"Your turn Hermione." Ginny sang.

"No. I do believe you still owe me an explanation of your relationship first." 

"Ugh. Fine. Harry and I are doing great. Everything is running smoothly. We are going on a date soon after this dance and I am so excited about it." she said. "Now tell us about you and Draco. Tell us everything." she squealed.

"Fine. Draco is a sweetheart and is worried about everything. He is intelligent and kind. I realized that he needs me as much as much as I need him at the moment. Both of us are going through a tough time. But I assure you that aside from our forced marriage, nothing big is going on."

"That's not what you said a week ago during our conversation."

"Shhhhh!!!!" I whispered harshly.

"Too late. Now you have to tell us everything." Pansy mumbled.

"Girls. We'll take it from here. Just go get dressed for the dance." McGonagall said. We all ran upstairs to the Room of Requirement once again. I smiled as I looked around. Tonight was going to be so much fun.

Once the doors were shut we immediately set to getting ready. As I was pulling the skinny dress on I heard Pansy ask once again, what I had said last week. I silently cursed Ginny and she stifled a giggle.

"It's nothing really."

"Lier." Ginny sang.

"Fine. Last week I was listening to Ginny. She was laughing at my reactions because I was honestly surprised with what he had said afterwards."

"That's not it."

"Well Jeez. What do you want me to say then?"

"The best part. Duh."

"Fine. Ginny had told me that he said that he loved me and I got flustered and Ginny started squealing like she normally does. Then she chanted that I loved him and smiling slightly, I admitted it. There. I said it. Happy?"

Ginny nodded and she started doing my hair and makeup. I flinched when I heard the girls all squealing. "It isn't that big of a deal."

"Yes it is. Of course it is. You actually like him. We were right. So you truly do love Draco. No one saw this one coming." Astoria smiled. 

"Hey Astoria... can I ask you a question?" She nodded and I smiled. "How are you in your seventh year because you are a few years younger than all of us?" I asked.

"I don't know why but this time when she told us that the seventh years had to stay, for some reason I couldn't get up so I just assumed that she just wanted me to be a seventh year this time around. I was okay with it though because I got to hang out with my friends this year."

"That is quite strange."

"Yeah bit I don't think it really matters."

We finished up our costumes and everyone walked down the stairs a bit late and I laughed at the guys reaction to our outfits but frowned slightly when I couldn't find Draco. "He'll be back soon. He had to go to the restroom." Blaise said.

So I walked back upstairs because the girls were forcing me to go back up and wait. Then they walked down with their dates and Ginny stood off to the size waiting. When Draco showed up she gave the thumbs up and left. 

I walked down and laughed as Draco's eyes bulged out of his head. "Wh-why are you laughing?"

"Your face. It's just priceless." I chuckled slightly and wrapped my arm through his as we walked into the great hall. The skeletons played a bunch of songs. Then a slow song came on and they required everyone to dance but just before the song McGonagall said something.

"Everyone is required to dance to this song. Teachers will be walking around and judging the couples. There will be a King and Queen crowned tonight and they will kiss in front of everyone and then do a couples dance before one last slow song. Then the night will end. Enjoy."

The song started and Draco reached out a hand that I took. We danced and sang the song and I was surprised that he actually knew the lyrics. The teachers judged everyone and once the song finished everyone became quiet.

There were no noises as the votes were tallied. "And the King and Queen are... Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger." 

I smiled as I walked up to the stage and kissed Draco as they placed the crowns on our heads. Then the floor cleared as another Muggle song came on. We slow danced to All of Me which I found quite ironic since we loved one another but neither of us have actually said it to the other.

Everyone clapped and applauded us as the song finished and we all separated, walking to our dorms. "That was fun." Ginny was yelling. Someone must have spiked the punch because Ginny was hammered.

"It was. And I can't believe the two of you are the crowned King and Queen." Pansy chuckled. I guess I was too because when I awoke the next morning I was lying on a half naked Draco. It wasn't that bad though.

**NOTES: THESE ARE THE GIRL'S OUTFITS.**

**Hermione:**

 

 

GINNY:

 

 

 

ASTORIA:

 

 

 

NATHALIA:

 

 

PANSY:


	16. Chapter 16: Morning

(Draco's POV)

 

For the first time in a long time, I woke up in a really good mood. It felt strange considering that I couldn't remember what had happened last night for the life of me. I looked around and didn't recognize my surroundings and for a minute, I freaked out. Where am I? What happened? Why can't I remember?

It started coming back to me and I remembered that I was at Hogwarts in my room. The bed dipped down a bit and I looked over to the sleeping girl next to me. A smile creeped it's way onto my lips.

She looked so peaceful at the moment. Her lips were quirked up in a small smile and her bushy brown hair fell down the side of her face and over her back. This was the calmest I had ever seen her.

I shook her awake and she groaned as she smiled brighter. "Morning sleepyhead. Have a good dream?"

She opened her eyes slowly and smiled a bit more before groaning as she sat up. Nodding, she made her way out of the bed and stumbled towards the towel closet. After she grabbed a towel she made her way into the bathroom and prepared for a shower.

I heard the hiss of the water from the spout and sighed as I fell back against the pillows with a huge smile on my face. The night was fantastic. I closed my eyes and replayed the end of the night.

_We were slow dancing to a song I vaguely remembered. I nearly stopped breathing when she leaned against my chest. Her hand in mine had fit so perfectly well it was like they were molded for one another. She tilted her head up and looked me in the eye with a small smile and I couldn't help but smile back. I hadn't noticed when the song was over until she said something._

_I turned towards the podium as the teachers tallied up the points. I was very aware of her hand still resting in mine. The hall was extremely silent when McGonagall walked up to the podium. Opening the envelope, she smiled as she read the names aloud. I was surprised to find that Hermione and I were voted Royalty._

_The sea of people parted when we began our walk up there. Everyone waited in silence for the moment to come. I leaned down and our lips met. Hers were soft and sweet. I could feel her fidgeting and could tell she was uncomfortable. I was slightly upset because I thought she was uncomfortable with me._

_I pulled away, trying to school my features so I didn't look too upset. The smile on Blaise's face made me smile too. After we did out couple's dance and the last slow song, we made the trek back to our dorm room._

_Once inside, I let my facade fall and let the exhaustion show. I closed my eyes and breathed I sigh before making my way over to the dresser. I showered and changed as quickly as I could. Then I crawled into bed only to have Hermione follow moments later._

_We lay like that, silently for a while. "Draco?" I hummed in response and she turned her head, those big brown eyes on my face. "Thanks for tonight. I had fun."_

_"I should be thanking you." We lay in silence for a moment longer and the question of her uncomfortability kept resurfacing. "Could I ask a question?"_

_"Shoot."_

_"When we were on stage... you were uncomfortable... was it... did I..." I couldn't seem to get the question out. I didn't try to hide my hurt expression and her eyes widened when I tried to ask._

_She leaned over and whispered, "People." before kissing me again. This time was slow and passionate. It was in private so no one was able to interrupt. We pulled apart to catch our breaths and she sighed, resting her head on my chest. I kissed her head before dozing off to sleep._

I opened my eyes again and smiled. It really was a great night. Very eventful and full of surprises. 

Then I quickly sat up and frowned. I felt like there was something I was forgeting. It had to have been something important but I couldn't think of what it was for the life of me. 

Just then Hermione stepped out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel and I turned away blushing a bright red. I didn't know what we were yet but if we were together now, I'm pretty sure she wanted her privacy.

She chuckled and the sound resonated throughout the room. After she finished dressing she asked why I was frowning. I turned back towards her and watched as she attempted to brush the unruly mess that was her hair. At least one thing never changed throughout the years here.

"Well?" she asked. I shook my head snapping back to my thoughts.

"Sorry what?"

"Why are you frowning?" she asked still attempting to brush her hair. Finally she gave up and put the brush down before muttering a spell that calmed it.

"I feel like I have forgotten something extremely important." she frowned too. Her face thoughtful as she thought about it. 

"I do too. What could it be?"

There was a knock on the door and I quickly covered up my bare torso as I told the person to come in. The door opened and I saw a flash of blonde hair before she started laughing.

"It's okay Drake, not like I haven't seen it before." she chuckled before shutting the door. Hermione tossed me a shirt and I put it on. 

"Drake?"

"Nickname for him. Do you two not have one for each other?" I shook my head and she chuckled again.

"Why are you here, Nat?" I asked suspiciously. I watched as she walked over and placed herself on the edge of the bed.

"Just wanted to check up on my number one couple. And it appears your fine so I'm going to go." she then smiled and walked out the door.

The door silently shut and I stared at it for a moment before turning to face Hermione. "Her birthday." I said at the same time Hermione did. We both started laughing at the complete irony and cliche moment we just shared.

 


	17. Chapter 17: Birthday

(Draco's POV)

 

I sprinted to Proffesor McGonagall's office. I needed to ask her permission to use the courtyard for Nathalia's brithday party. God I felt so stupid. How could I forget my sister's brithday? I mean she was my sister.

I shook my head and knocked on McGonagall's door. Heavy panting behind me indicated that Hermione had arrived.

"Yes?" McGonagall asked.

"Draco and I... we... wondering..." she said through pants. Holding a finger up, she tried to catch her breath. I didn't have the patience for this.

"We were wondering if Hermione, a few others, and I could hold a birthday party tonight for Nathalia in the courtyard by the lake?"

"Of course. Who else is coming, may I ask?"

"Blaise, Theo, Astoria, Harry, Ginny, Ron, Pansy, and of course Draco, Nathalia and I." Hermione said glaring at me. I figured she was upset so I let her have this one.

"Very well. As long as the ten of you are back before two."

"Thank you proffesor."

She smiled as we ran back to our dorms. We rounded everyone up and once we knew that Nathalia wasn't anywhere here, we started out conversation.

"Today is Nathalia's birthday. We will go about our daily business as though we don't know or simply forgot. A few hours before eight we are going to go set up her party. To make sure she doesn't go to the lake, Theo keep her company and keep her away. DO NOT say anything about the party, plans, or her birthday. At eight, make sure she's blindfolded and bring her to the lake. Does everyone understand?"

Everyone nodded and a smile spread across my face. I clapped my hand and said, "Let's get started."

 

(Nathalia's POV)

 

Today wasn't as great as I was hoping it would be. I know I haven't seen my brother in a few years but I would have imagined that he would remember. I was a little upset but at least there was no school today.

Of course, I didn't have anything to do now that I had no classes. I wandered around the  halls aimlessly before walking into the great hall for breakfast. I sat down next to Luna and Neville.

"Hey." Luna said quietly. I nodded in her direction and piled food on my plate. I was just about to finish my last piece of toast when Theo burst into the Great Hall, breathless, and searching frantically before spotting me. He sighed and he quickly took his spot next to me.

He slid on my leg before sitting though and a shiver ran up my spine. I coughed and turned my head, hiding my blush. Luna smiled sweetly, giving me a thumbs up when Theo wasn't looking and I rolled my eyes. I couldn't believe her.

She sniffed out couples that would be good together before anyone knew it. Like Hermione and Draco. It took them a while to figure it out but they did at last. Seven years... Luna knew they would be a great couple for seven freakin years.

"I never missed the longing glances at the other or how they lit up when the other walked in the room. Draco would frown after making fun of her and she would cry about it. He would hug her in secret in their tree. They were supposed to be enemies but they always seemed drawn to each other and I never missed it." she had said.

Now, sitting at the table, I could tell that Luna knew that about Theo and I as well. I smiled a little as I waited for Theo to finish up his food. "What do you want to do today?" he asked.

"Let's go to the lake." 

"Uh... we can't."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because McGonagall said no one was to go there today." he said. I didn't believe him for a second but as if mentioning her name summoned her, she was standing there.

"He's right Mrs. Malfoy. No one is to go to the lake today. You are welcome to go to town today though." she said. I thanked her and wondered about which shops to check out.

I walked out of the Great Hall, Theo on my tail, as we headed towards town. "Where to first?"

"Let's go to the bookstore."

He sighed but agreed, following me to the bookstore. He found out he was actually interested in a series of books that involve magic. I personally loved the books but I didn't think he was going to like them.

"Dude this kid is freakin awesome. Jumping out of the St. Louis arch? Wow." he yelled. I chuckled and told him that I had the whole series at the dorm if he wanted to borrow it.

"Wait really? How come I've never seen them before?" he asked.

"Well I have a box under my side of the bed that only I can open. It has the books in there." He was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. He was so excited about them and I couldn't help smiling.

We looked through the books and movies and I found the movies that went along with the books. There were only two movies but there were two series of books. I have all of them that are similar to that one too.

Around lunchtime, we went to a diner in london... muggle london... and we had an amazing meal. "That was amazing. Hey... wanna go to an amusement park?" I asked.

"What's that?"

"Okay. We are definitely... going to an amusement park." I said grabbing his hand and we ran off. I dragged him to the front entrance, paying for our tickets. He was staring wide-eyed at everything around the park. 

People passed  by with Cotton Candy in their hands and their faces painted. There were fans and balloons. Theo's face lit up and I decided that today was definitely one of the best birthday's I've ever had and we hadn't done anything yet.

A loud roaring sounded as the roller coaster came to a halt before us. Theo looked at it, wide-eyed with fear. "What... the heck... is that?" he asked pointing to the ride.

"It'll be fun don't worry." I said pulling him on.

"Please pull down your bars and strap in. Keep your hands and feet inside the car at all times. Thank you and enjoy your ride." the announcer said before we started off.

"Wait. Why is there so many rules? Why can't we stick our hands out? Why do we have to be strapped in?" he asked worriedly and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"It's just in case the ride breaks down or they don't connect to the railing correctly so we don't go flying." At his scared face I quickly added, "But it never happens don't worry now be quiet it's about to get good."

He stared straight ahead, eyes widening as we descended the tracks. I laughed as Theo grabbed my arm in a desperate attempt to stay calm. Once we got off of the ride he couldn't decide whether he was scared or not.

He decided to freak out a bit so I quickly pulled him over to a bench and kissed him. He calmed down quickly after that and smiled at me.

"It wasn't that bad was it?" I asked. He just stared at me. I laughed before kissing him again. "Would you go on another one?"

"If I got a kiss after we got off every time, then I wouldn't mind riding them forever." he said and I laughed again. I scooted closer to him and leaned in before going to his ear. 

"I'll be right back." I whispered, walking away. I chuckled as he groaned when I walked away.

"Not fair!" he yelled after me. I ordered to Cotton Candy's and turned to find Theo gone. I began freaking out. I never should have left him here alone. Bad stuff happens at amusement parks. I began searching for him and when I couldn't find him I sat down at the bench and silently cried.

I guess Luna was right. I really did care for the jerk. "Why are you crying?" he asked and my head shot up. I immediately wrapped him in a hug.

"I thought something happened to you."

"Here?" he asked.

"Yes. People usually get kidnapped at amusement parks. They get hurt or killed and I was so scared."

"Nice to know you care enough." He chuckled but I didn't smile. I just buried my head in his shoulder. He rubbed circles on my back. "Besides... I'mma wizard. I can work some serious magic mojo if need be." he said and I smiled a bit.

"There's the smile I so love." he said kissing the top of my head. I was content to just stand there in his arms but I knew that we needed to leave before we got scolded for standing in the way. It was getting dark out anyway.

We walked towards the entrance and I looked at the clock. "Almost eight." I whispered as I hugged him and walked. We went back to Hogwarts and went up to our rooms. Looking at the clock, he sighed. 

"Not time yet." he whispered to himself.

"Not time yet for what?" I asked. He looked startled for a moment and I chuckled. 

"N-nothing!" he yelled. I flinched and he apologized quickly. "Hey can we go check out the books." I chuckled and nodded. I took him to our room and pulled a box out from under my bed. I opened it revealing the books and his eyes widened. "How many are there?"

"Well in the first series there are five and in the second there are also five. He also wrote a trilogy and has two books for another series. He is also starting a third-ish series for the first set."

"What?" he asked.

"First series has five books." I said taking them out. "Second series does too. He has one book in a third-ish series meaning it's in the same place as the first two with some of the same characters but the main character isn't in it as often.  He wrote a triliogy about another set of heroes and another set of gods. There is a short story where the ones from the original and this one meet. He also has two books published for another set of heroes and gods but they all tie together because they are related in some way." I explain.

"Oh... Okay. So I have..." he took his time to count. "16 books to read." he said and I nodded. 

His face lit up in the biggest smile ever. "It's eight!" he exclaimed.

"It is. So..."I asked. He smiled again. "Here put this on." he said handing me a blindfold.

"Why?"

"Just do it." I nodded and reluctantly let him put it on me. He led me carefully down the stairs and out the front door. The night bit at my skin and I shivered. He handed me his coat and I silently thanked him. 

Finally we stopped and he slowly took the blindfold of. "Surprise!" everybody yelled and I laughed. Tears sprang to my eyes and I felt so happy. No one forgot. 

"Thank you guys so freakin much." I yelled and I pulled Theo down to my face and smashed my lips to his. When we finally pulled away, I was breathless. "Thank you." I whispered.

 

 

 


	18. Chapter 18: Birthday Party

(Nathalia's POV)

 

I pulled away from Theo and smiled as I looked around. It was so beautiful. The sun was just barely peeking over the mountains and the full moon reflected off of the lake. Glowing blue flowers lined the path down to the lake. Logs were set up by the campfire and a table full of goodies just behind it.

I turned and stared at Draco in amazement, knowing that he's the one who set this whole thing up. "There are things for smore's." he said as if reading my mind. I ran over to him and hugged him again, whispering my thanks. I couldn't believe how awesome my friends were. 

I stared out at the lake where the Lilly-pads rested on the water some with a few glowing flowers in many vibrant colors. Fireflies danced around and the crickets chirped quietly as though not to ruin the peaceful mood.

I was happy to finally be with my family again. It's been so long and I never believed I would see them again. I grabbed Hermione's wrist and we danced around and giggled. "Merlin... it's been so long."

"I don't remember very well... I was too young. Could you remind me?" she asked and I nodded. We sat by the campfire as everyone walked out with cake. "When we're done of course." she said and I smiled before jumping up and running over to the cake.

A slight breeze blew as they lit the candles and sang Happy Birthday. Taking a deep breath, I blew out all of the candles jumping with joy. I dug in quickly and chuckled as everyone started laughing. This was perfect. 

The cake was amazing and Hermione raised her hand shyly when I asked who had baked it. Theo leaned over and wiped the chocolate from my lip. I stared at him in awe. He was the most perfect boyfriend ever. He was tasked with keeping me away from here, keeping me busy and happy despite thinking everyone forgot my birthday, and keeping this whole thing a secret.

I leaned in and kissed him again not caring that Astoria squealed and began snapping pictures. She loved scrap-booking. When I pulled away Theo was blushing brightly and I couldn't help laughing at how cute he was.

Then I grabbed his wrist and dragged him over to the campfire, grabbing the stuff for smore's along the way.

"So what are we going to do?" Hermione asked.

"Tell stories. Any kind." Astoria said and we agreed.

"Can I go first?" I asked and she nodded. I thought about it for a bit, trying to decide which story to tell. "This was when we were younger. Draco and I... Hermione too. When we were all close friends."

"Wait you used to be friends with Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"I don't remember it but yeah." Hermione shrugged and I giggled.

"It was a snowy day and out by our manor there was snow covering the ground. I dragged Hermione outside with me while Draco was talking to Narcissa about something. I can't remember what exactly but I hadn't cared. Hermione and I were running around and soon after Draco had joined us. There was a major snowball fight and in the end Draco had lost. We were all seated at the bench, exhausted. Narcissa came out with Lucius in tow and they both had heaping piles of steaming hot food. After our meal we talked about what to do." I said taking a photo out of my pocket.

"Lucius held up a finger and created a huge hill and we pulled out some sleds. There was one big enough for the four of us. Narcissa stood at the bottom of the hill. Lucius was in the back and the three of us seated in front of him. Then, with some difficulty, he pushed us off and we all slid down the hill. The sled hit a giant bump and the four of us went flying, laughing as we did so. Narcissa took a picture and that was the last thing I had to remember my family for the years I had been stuck in the muggle world without them."

"That sounds like a lot of fun." Astoria squealed.

"It was." I couldn't believe what had happened with my father. He used to be such a great man. Voldemort must have ruined him. I'll never be able to have memories like that again.

Hermione noticed I was upset and decided to speak up. "Let's do presents." she said. I sat up straight, excited. Everyone nodded and Theo ran to get them. I gave Hermione a grateful look and she nodded, smiling.

When Theo got back the group got really quiet. I looked at all the presents and reached for a small box, wrapped in green with a bright red bow. Inside I found a pair of sparkling earrings and I squealed happily. "Thank you Ginny." I said wrapping her in a tight hug.

I then grabbed a red bag full of pink wrapping and pulled out a tub filled to the brim with candy. I turned to Hermione and Draco and thanked the both. The nodded and I turned to the rest of the gifts. There were 3 more left, not including the one Theo had behind his back.

I grabbed the tiny purple box and opened it. Harry had gotten me a gift card to go to the movies with $100 dollars on it. I loved the muggle movies and I thanked him for the card. 

I then grabbed the box in fine silver wrapping paper. Opening the box... I found another one inside and I knew this belonged to Ron and Pansy. I continued opening boxes until at last I found a bracelet with the word friendship engraved on it and a brand new Wizard's Chess set from Ron. I needed a new one badly because my peices started to go missing.

Then I grabbed the bag and found white gown with sparkles and one sleeve lying in it. I hugged the both of them thanking them so much for the gift. I loved it. It was gorgeous.

Then I turned to Theo. It was his turn. He brought one hand out from behind his back and handed me a small box. Once I opened it I found a beautiful necklace. There were two stones inlaid in it between the two swirls. The top swirl read Nathalia and the bottom read Theo. The stones were Garnet and Aquamarine, our birthstone colors. I thanked him and gave him a really big hug.

Once I pulled away, he blushed. "There's one more thing." he said. He looked over at the boys and each of them nodded. He took a deep breath and knelt on the ground before me, pulling a black box out from behing his back. My breath caught in my throat and my eyes watered.

"Will you marry me Nathalia?" he asked. I didn't trust myself to speak so I nodded and squeaked as I did so. The girls all squealed and giggle and Draco chuckled. 

"What do you know... my sister got married before me." I stuck my tongue out him and smiled widely. This was the best birthday ever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	19. Hagrid's

(Hermione's POV)

I woke up the next morning, a huge smile on my face. Last night was perfect. We danced to some music and played games as well as told stories. I couldn't have wished for a more perfect night. I groaned as I slid out of the bed. 

"Where are you going?" Draco groaned, grabbing my waste and pulling me back in bed. 

"I was going to get dressed and make some breakfast. Do you want some?" I asked. He mumbled and nodded but tightened his embrace. I smiled and relaxed back into him.

Just then Harry walked in holding a letter in his hand. "Hagri...." he trailed off, turning bright red when he saw the two of us lying there. "Um... sorry... Hagrid's sick... just thought I'd... tell you. I'll just...uh... go..." he trailed off again. I chuckled as he left and turned to Draco.

"We should go." I said and he nodded again, sighing as he let go of me. I quickly took a shower and changed, heading downstairs to make some breakfast for Draco before he got out. 

"I am so sorry for this morning." Harry mumbled when he saw the two of us again. 

"It's okay. We weren't doing anything." I smiled. He was still bright red but nodded and turned to tell the others. Once everyone was properly fed and ready to go, we set off towards Hagrid's hut. It was kind of odd really, Hagrid being sick. He never got sick.

I knocked on the door and Hagrid stumbled towards us. "'Ey, Hermione." he mumbled.

"Hi Hagrid. We just wanted to check up on you. Make sure you were alright. I baked some cookis for you. Here..." I mumbled handing him the box. He gratefully took it.

"Thank you. You guys are awesome. The best people I have ever met." he said.

"Of course Hagrid." Harry said. Fang barked once and it echoed out into the midday air. 

"Shut up Fang." Hagrid growled.

"Is everything okay?" Ginny asked, frowning.

"Yeah. Fang just randomly barks on ocassion and it does nothing for my headache."

I nodded in understanding smiled. "Well I hope you feel better soon." I said. He nodded in agreement and we all turned to leave. The sky darkened and I looked up, expecting to find a cloud covering the sun. I was sort of right.

The cloud was pitch black and racing towards us. "Everybody. Come on. Let's get up to the castle." Hagrid yelled ushering us forward. The air became stale and so rotten that I doubled over coughing. I couldn't see my hand two inches from my face. 

Then just as suddenly as everything happened, it stopped. The black cloud vanished and a slight stench lingered but it wasn't nearly as bad as it was before. My eyes watered as I continued to gag, hoping to get the stench out of my nose.

"Is everyone okay?" Hagrid asked worriedly. I nodded smiling and looked around to find everyone else doing so as well. Suddenly I frowned realizing something. 

"What is it? What's wrong Hermoine?" Ron asked.

I looked Nathalia in the eye and nodded. Her eyes teared up as well as mine. "Draco." I muttered falling to my knees. Nathalia rushed over to me, wrapping me in a hug, crying as well.

"What happened?" Theo asked.

"The... the cloud..." I choked out and he nodded in understanding. It was kind of funny really. Two months ago I couldn't have cared less if Draco disappeared and now, here I am crying my heart out over him. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Hey guys so I know this was a really short chapter but I need to move the story along and this needed to happen. So I apologize for how short it was. I also apologize for how sucky it was. Also if any of you could come up with a plotline for my Destiel or Stydia story I am open to suggestions.


	20. Torture For Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ********WARNING*******  
> This chapter will contain torture. It will be almost all, if not all, of the chapter. If that doesn't bug you, then continue reading on.... feel free. If that does bother you please don't read this. Thank you. -Levi

**_Draco_ **

Groaning, my eyes fluttered open and pain seared my head. A blistering headache. "What h-happened?" I muttered. The last thing I remember was Hagrid telling us we needed to get to the castle. Now I was here... wherever here was. 

It was cold and damp, darkness everywhere. Not a trace of light to be seen. I tried to massage my temples, to alleviate the headache but I couldn't move my wrists. Frowning, I stuggled until I realized that my hands were bound. My feet were too. What the hell happened?

A loud creaking sounded as a door opened. I hissed, closing my eyes because of the light assulting my vision. A man stood silhouetted against the blaring light. "Well, well it seems your finally awake." he chuckled as he scrambled towards me. He flicked on the lights as he did so and I stared into his eyes, wondering why they looked so familiar.

"Who are you?"

"You don't recognize me? Of course you don't. My son looked ridiculous when you followed him last year." He growled and stepped back, staring at him.

"Last year... wait your son... Voldemort?" I asked.

"Don't speak that filthy name. His name was Tom Riddle." he spat.

"You still didn't answer me. Who are you?"

"Tom Riddle. Named after me." My eyes widened and I glared at him soon after. "Enough of this talk. Let's get down to the real reason I brought you here." he smiled wickedly.

"And, what is that reason?" I asked gulping. His smile grew and I suddenly feared what was going to happen. He left and came back, a tray full of weapons just to his left, and I gulped again, knowing where this was going. "Before you start...." I blurted out suddenly, trying to delay the pain. "Could you at least tell me why you are going to do this."

"My filthy wizard son of course. I hated that he was abnormal but I never wanted him to die. When you and your family turned and left him, it made his side weaker, leaving him open to be killed, which is exactly what had happened. So I am going to hurt you and all of the people he was against for getting him killed."

I sat there frozen, not knowing what to do. Light reflecting off of something caught my attention, snapping me back to reality. I started laughing and he frowned at me. "What?"

"You are going to stab me? How original. Get more creative." I chuckled and he smiled again. My laughing stopped and I swallowed thickly, wondering what he actually had in store.

"Nope I am going to use and old technique called the Blood Eagle."

"Doesn't that kill people?" I asked worriedly and he nodded. Well at least it will be over quickly. He must have noticed my reaction because he smiled even wider.

"Oh don't worry... that won't be the end of it. There will be more."

"How?  You aren't exactly a wizard." I said, noticing he actually left to get the stuff instead of snapping his fingers and making it appear. "Unless... Unless you have someone else to heal me." His eyes twinkled and I knew that I had gotten it right. I groaned and let my head fall afainst my chest.

He untied my hands, quickly binding them with shackles so that I couldn't get out. He was smart. Then he untied my legs, breaking the bones so I couldn't use my legs to inflict any pain on him. He yanked the chair from out under me and tightened the chains until I was hanging against the wall, my back facing him. He slowly cut into my back with the blade. I bit my lip to keep from screaming as he tore the skin away from my back.

Tears filled my eyes and I continued biting my lip. I didn't want to allow this man to see me scream but when he continued to break my ribs and twist them, I couldn't hold it in. I screamed and thrashed as he twisted them into wings. I couldn't hear anymore cracking as scream after scream tore my throat raw. "Now this is the fun part." He said chuckling. I sobbed as he called someone in. "Keep him alive and awake as I do this." he whispered. I didn't know how the person was supposed to do that but they did.

Screams tore my throat as Tom pulled at my lungs, draping them over my bloody ribbed wings. He then cackled as he nodded to the wizard behind me. He muttered a spell which slowly started healing me in the most painful way possible. I could feel every piece of my lung as it relocated itself but it felt like my skin was being slowly peeled off. Bones slowly cracking and breaking back into place, making me arch my back in pain.

Tears poured out of my eyes as my ribs burned until they finally fit in place. The pain subsided and I took deep, wavering breaths. My chest hurting each time I took one. He chuckled as he did the same thing again except he didn't tear out my lungs this time. He also didn't heal me and I stared wide eyed as the chains were lifted up. I hung, just off of the ground, my arms sore as they slowly slid out of their sockets.

It was then I noticed a large pot, one you'd find in movies, filled to the brim with murky water. The pulley, which the chains were attatched to, moved over the pot. I looked down in horror because I knew it would burn. He slowly lowered me into the pot, keeping my head above the water so that I could scream as the salt leaked into my bones. He then lit the fire underneath the pot and the water began to boil. The salt still stung and the boiling water burning my skin as the wizard started healing me.

The bones started cracking into place, just as painful as last time. The boiling water still rushing through my body as skin got pieced back together. "Stop... please stop." I begged.

"Already... I'm only just getting started?" And my body shook with sobs as the pain continued.

After that extremely painful process was over I saw Tom stoking a fire. The light turned on and there was a massive, brass bull standing over the fire.The shackles were taken off and I crumpled to the floor and lay helpless as Tom dragged me over to the bull. He somehow managed to get me two feet above his head and into the little compartment. He quickly closed the door and I realized how hot it was getting. The metal around me heated up quickly and my sking bunred. I tried to blow on the sides to cool it down but it didn't work.

I was slowly burning alive. The heat singed my brows and I screamed as I was roasted. I closed my eyes, still screaming, but accepting the fact that I was going to die. Suddenly a cold air rushed through the bull and I was yanked out of the contraption. I was once again in shackles but this time hanging in the middle of the room. My arms almost out of their sockets, the floor just too far out of reach.

My head dangled, chin against my chest and I looked up at him, through my hair, and watched as he paced back and forth. He was probably trying to figure out what to do next. He looked at his tools and decided on the whip. He grabbed it, grinning like a madman, and made his way over to my backside. THe crack of the whip warned me moments before it slapped my spine. I arched my back in pain and hissed. He started laughing as he continued to whip my back. Scars reopened over time, sticky blood pooling by my feet as my body jerked against the cuffs, making my wrists raw.

He pummled me, kicking my back, hitting my face, breaking limbs slowly. He tore off fingernails and at last decided he wanted to  use the knife. He grabbed it and stuck it in the gash on my back, dragging it down. I screamed as he skinned my back slowly. Chuckling as he continued to hit me and cut my gashes. There was blood everywhere. I could taste it in my mouth and I spat it out.

Blackness started filling my vision and I started nodding off but he punched me so hard in the face that he split my lip. I spat blood out again, this time in his face. He glared up at me before leaning down shackling my ankles. He flicked the switch off to his left the chains started pulling in opposite directions and my skin slowly ripped apart and I screamed in agony. He watched in glee as I thrashed trying to free myself. I pulled my hands down, the shackles scraping off the skin and blood dripped down my wrists. 

Finally he turned it off, not wanting to kill me just yet. I found myself pleading that he would. I couldn't take this much longer. It hurt too much.  "Please... Please stop it." I begged. "Please just kill me now." He shook his head and released my arms from the shackles. I fell to the floor in a crumpled mess, sobbing and bleeding. He grabbed a torch and my eyes widened.

He stalked towards me, the fire on and I watched as he burned me. They brought the torch up to my eye, burning the skin around it. I refused to jerk or move because I feared he would get my actual eye if I did. It hurt too much. He pulled away satisfied with the result and I sighed at the small break I was given. Then I felt something push into my back and up through my spine, raking my heart. I couldn't move too much or the blade would pierce my heart and I would die. I grunted and waited for the blade to be moved.

Once it left I relaxed a bit, waiting for the next bout of torture. I vaguely felt something being clasped around my ankle and heard chains rattling, but I was in too much pain to move much. A loud roar started as the machine turned on. I was blacking out slowly before there was a scrape against my back. A machine started moving, going quickly, dragging me across the floor.

Blood leaked from my back and I screamed as more cuts and bruises formed on my back from being dragged around. I knew that my ankle was broken and I also knew that being dragged around was going to infect the wounds on my back. Suddenly the machine stopped and I hit my head hard. Blackness clouded my vision and I grunted one last grunt before passing out.

When I came to I was tied to another chair and I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw no one was there. None of my injuries were healed which lead me to believe that I was only to be healed if it was extreme torture. I tried to free my hand, wincing at how raw my wrists were. 

"Glad to see that you're awake. The fun is only just starting." Tom said with another wicked grin as he stalked towards me.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry about the crappy chapter. I hope it wasn't to horrible or detailed. I did warn you but again I don't know how good the story was anyway. Thank you if you are still reading this fic. It means alot. -Levi


	21. We Need A Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. I am so sorry for not posting sooner. I've had trouble coming up with an idea for this chapter. I apologize in advance for how bad it is but I wanted to post. -Levi

_**Hermione** _

"He'll be fine. He's Draco." Ginny said comforting me. I was glad that I had my friends here but I needed Draco back. A sharp pain shot through my back and I winced. "Hermione. What's wrong?" 

"My back... it hurts." I choked out. 

Ginny lifted the back of my shirt to reveal that my back was really red. "What happened?" she asked worriedly.

"I- I don't know." I bit out. Another flash of pain ran through me. Merlin, it hurts so bad. What the heck was going on? I dropped my head as Ginny hurried to go get something to put on my back. My necklace burned bright and burned my skin. I grabbed it, throwing it across the room. The necklace was a curse. I saw things I didn't want to see and flet things I didn't want to feel.

Tears fell from my eyes as I stared at the wall ahead of me. Pain shot through me again  and I cried out in pain, curling up into a ball. "Hermione!" Ginny yelled running towards me. "Oh my goodness." she gasped staring at my back.

"What... what is it?" I asked nervously.

"Ginny I heard... Oh my goodness, what happened?" Astoria asked with Pansy on her tail.

"I don't know. My back just started hurting really bad and now..." I groaned and whimpered. 

"Hermione... how long have you had these cuts?" she asked quietly.

"What? What cuts? I don't have any cuts." I whispered hoarsely. Ginny frowned but started cleaning my back before wrapping me in gauze. I didn't protest. "What cuts are you talking about?"

"You have cuts all over your back. It's bruised and bleeding. It looks like you were beaten."

"What?" I asked spinning around quickly, wincing at the action.

"You should just lie down. Take a break."

"No. We need to get Draco back." I croaked.

"Draco is fine..." I gasped and got up. Ginny kept telling me to lay down but I brushed her off. Draco. I started looking around for the necklace I threw off earlier. "What are you looking for?"

"My necklace. It burned me earlier and I threw it over here. It has something to do with him. I know it does." 

"What are you talking about?"

"Draco and I have these necklaces. They help us figure out each other when we don't know what to say. It started out with flashes from each other's point of view. Then it showed us memories of us together and things of the sort. They were all related to love but everything we have seen was about Draco and I. It's never gotten hot like it did just now so it had to be a sign of something." I explained.

My hand moved over something and I brought my hand back, wincing. God that was hot. I quicly grabbed it before throwing it at the table. The green heart was glowing brightly. "What is going on?"

I sighed before grabbing the chain, hoping that it wouldn't be as hot as the gem. 

_A vaguely familiar man stalked towards me an evil glow in his eyes a knife in hand. "You're going to stab me? How original. Get more creative." I said. Well it wasn't really me it was Draco and I knew that it was him. I heard bones cracking and him screaming in pain._

I yanked my hand back. "Oh my god." I breathed.

"What the hell was that all about?" Pansy asked.

"That was a flash. Like the ones I was talking about before."

"What did you see?" Ginny asked nervously.

"Draco." 

"That's great." Astoria giggled but immediately stopped when I shook my head. "What?"

"He's not good. He's being tortured. He's in pain." I whispered.

"We'll get him out Hermione.  I promise."

"We need a plan." Pansy said and we all nodded in agreement.


End file.
